ExtraordinaryTIMES

F A L L 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E 5

this issueRegulatory Excellence Challenge: Winners AnnouncedSee page 4�

Integrity in Action See page 5

Living withINTEGRITYSee page 3

Letter from John

The Medtech Distinctions John L. Hopkins, President and CEOaskjohn@medtech.edu

Dear Colleagues,

I often have written or spoken to you about our three distinctions. They are the core elements that define our company in the

marketplace — the things for which we are known and recognized. Our Medtech distinctions are: 1) creating an extraordinary student experience; 2) Regulatory Excellence; and 3) creating a turbo-charged culture that has every associate insanely passionate about customers.

These distinctions are meaningful, not just to the company but to your tribe and to our customers. You can’t let them become just a bunch of nice-sounding words on a piece of paper. They must become and remain clear and compelling “calls to action” for every associate at Medtech. How we go about executing on these distinctions is guided by our Stand and our Values.

There are many facets within each of these distinctions. In the interest of limited space, I would like to focus on Regulatory Excellence. To some, the expression itself seems self-evident and perhaps regal. The term “excellence” conveys something lofty — almost unattainable. Allow me to provide you with a very simple, tangible definition of Regulatory Excellence: it’s all about OUTCOMES!

Extraordinary outcomes not only define what we mean by Regulatory Excellence, but they also are the very nucleus of an extraordinary student experience. Outcomes are the fundamental measurement of what we do; they are our value proposition, our “grade” on how well we are doing in our obligations to our customers.

To be clear, what I mean by outcomes are things such as retention, placement and completion rates, NCLEX pass rates, default rates, 70/30 and all other benchmarks established by any of our accreditors, state agencies, nursing boards or the federal Department of Education. To build an extraordinary company, we need extraordinary outcomes across the board. No exceptions.

This means we cannot ever be merely average! Our objective, in the spirit of extraordinary outcomes, must be to achieve the highest level: the exclusive top five percent of the industry for every benchmark. Like many good companies, we excel at one or two benchmarks and are satisfactory in most. Our imagined future is a company that is best-in-class across ALL outcomes. I know this is a daring declaration. However, we must stop assuming that a thing that has never been done before probably cannot be done at all.

As JFK said in a 1963 speech, “The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by obvious realities. We need men and women who dream of things that never were.” This is at the core of what this tribe values — innovation.

Every one of you already has committed to the vision of Regulatory Excellence. I’ve now further defined it. But let’s not just talk about Regulatory Excellence. It’s now time to OWN the vision and relentlessly DRIVE IT to attainment.

The extraordinary outcomes we pursue must be authentic and executed with the highest of ethical standards, a passionate commitment to our customers, and perseverance. There are no shortcuts. Your actions influence the company and your fellow associates; they either compel or dilute our tribal vision of Regulatory Excellence. Let us work together to build an extraordinary company,

where EVERYONE is expected to make a contribution to extraordinary outcomes, where everyone counts and

where we set the standard for excellence within the industry.

What YOU do makes a difference. The routine tasks in everyone’s “in-basket” contribute directly to the achievement of creating a company that is special, bringing authenticity to our tribal behaviors and evidencing whether we are zealously passionate about

our customers. It requires an unwavering commitment to Regulatory Excellence.

Being good is easy. Being extraordinary is difficult.

Warmest personal regards,

Being good is easy.

Being extraordinary is difficult.

Please continue to share your suggestions and ask

John questions via email at

askjohn@medtech.edu

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Cover Story

Living with Integrity Bobby Reese, COOBReese@medtech.edu

At Medtech, being extraordinary is everyone’s responsibility. Associates not only need to perform

in extraordinary fashion; they must ensure everyone around them does so as well. Unfortunately, that’s not happening 100 percent of the time. There have been situations recently when associates exercised poor judgment by not reporting or following up on incidents of questionable behavior. Since you interact daily with students, staff and other associates, you are most likely the first to witness or learn about behavior contrary to Medtech’s commitment to excellence. Failure to report questionable, unethical or illegal behavior makes you responsible in the act, and can result in serious consequences for both you and Medtech.

We firmly believe in open communication and inclusion for all Medtech associates. With that in mind, we have several options in place to ensure you are comfortable discussing any aspects of Medtech’s operation without fear of retaliation, including our third-party-administered anonymous, confidential hotline (1-866-307-3527) for reporting potential violations. In addition, each associate has a duty to refrain from retaliation against a colleague who makes a report or cooperates in an investigation into potential violations.

Medtech has a zero tolerance policy regarding inappropriate or unlawful behavior. You may have noticed new posters around the campus reinforcing this message as a daily reminder for each of us. Our expectations are clearly outlined in the Associate Handbook, which says any questionable or unethical conduct must be reported immediately to your manager, Executive Director, a member of the Regulatory Excellence or Associate Experience teams, or the Executive Council. No exceptions. No excuses.

I recognize that you have established friendships, and some of you may be uncomfortable reporting on the actions of others. However, your integrity and Medtech’s integrity are at stake. You must report any and all potentially questionable behavior without delay.

We need you to exercise good judgment by following Medtech’s operational guidelines precisely. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you’re unsure about your obligation or just need some moral support. And, should you find yourself the subject of an investigation, remember that our zero tolerance and no retaliation policies prohibit you from targeting the individual who prompted the investigation. We will strictly enforce our policies.

Thank you in advance for modeling integrity, one of our core values (expected behaviors). If we choose to do the right thing, it can never be wrong.

4 Extraordinary Times - Fall 2012

Greetings from the Campus Support Center

Q&A with Elaine Neely, Chief Regulatory Excellence Officer ENeely@medtech.edu

Elaine joined the Medtech Tribe in May as the company’s new Chief Regulatory Excellence Officer. Here, we get to know the woman guiding us through our regulatory processes.

Tell us about yourself. I grew up in suburban Philadelphia and have lived most of my adult life in Georgia. I have two grown children and a

granddaughter. My daughter Danielle is a recent graduate of Fordham University and works in the financial district of New York City. My son Travis is the Placement Director for the Medical Arts School in Raleigh, North Carolina. My hobbies include baking, reading and attending live performances like ballet and musical theater. Travis’ daughter Kayla lives with her mother in Georgia and spends every other weekend with me.

How did you become interested in working in education? I began working in higher education in 1973 as a receptionist and grew up within the industry, spending many years in financial aid and business offices, as well as a two-year period as an admissions representative.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?Helping people. I take great pleasure in assisting campuses through the regulatory processes that are often confusing and challenging. I like to be able to take the burden off campus associates, so they have more time to spend with our students.

What is the most challenging part of your job?Getting the word out that the Regulatory Excellence team is here to help and encouraging associates to call us directly if they have any questions or concerns. Although associates may feel we are “too busy” at the Campus Support Center, they shouldn’t hesitate to call for help! I hope as we spend more time at the campuses, associates will feel comfortable to call on us for assistance.

What was one of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered and had to overcome while working in education?I’ve been fortunate that I have served on many committees and with diverse organizations during my time in higher education. Working with individuals from outside the private career field, I have encountered many negative views of “for-profit” education. Through my work on these committees, I have been able to positively influence opinions of our sector by educating other participants on the committees about our best practices. It has not always been easy and I have not always been successful; however, I believe I have influenced more people positively than not.

What are your goals as the new Chief Regulatory Excellence Officer?My goal is to create the best Regulatory Excellence team in the industry by providing superior guidance and customer service in all areas of regulatory operations, including state licensing, accreditation and federal student financial aid to produce extraordinary outcomes for our customers.

Where do you see Medtech in five years? As the leader in healthcare career education, our campuses will have the best outcomes for retention, placement and student loan repayment, creating satisfied customers who refer their family and friends to our campuses.

Regulatory Excellence Challenge: WINNERS ANNOUNCED!In our last issue of Extraordinary Times, we challenged all associates to spot the violations that were evident in a sample mystery shopping report. The original report is included here with the regulatory infractions highlighted. Of the 24 responses we received, the following seven associates named all four violations correctly:

Jeremy Pittman – Director of Financial Aid, Radians

Jessica Phiri – Admissions Representative, Fort Wayne

Lisa Gallagher – Business Office Manager, Greenwood/Indianapolis

Kim Palmer – Registrar, Indianapolis

Dale Woodham – Student Services Advisor, Marietta

Kevin Martin – Director of Education, Silver Spring

Mark Millen – Executive Director, Silver Spring

Congratulations and kudos for recognizing the “rights” and “wrongs” of this highly regulated industry!

Sample mystery shopping report:Sally Snooper (our mystery shopper) visits the Xanadu campus of Medtech. Sally meets with Admissions Representative Bobby Beginner. Bobby walks Sally through the admissions process and tells her about the school, making sure to mention that Medtech is accredited by the Department of Education. Sally asks about potential starting salaries for the program she is interested in starting. Bobby tells her that graduate salaries typically range from $37,000-$70,000, but sometimes the starting salary can be as high as $100,000. Sally then asks whether or not Medtech credits are likely to transfer. Bobby tells her that because we are a career school focused on teaching students job skills, the credits are not likely to transfer, but the decision is made by the school into which Sally wants to transfer. Finally, Sally indicates that she made $5,000 selling Beanie Babies on eBay and asks Bobby whether she needs to report that income on the FAFSA. Bobby replies that she should ask the Financial Aid Representative the same question when they meet later in the interview. Sally then meets with Fanny Financing in Financial Aid.

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Greetings from the Campus Support Center

Integrity in Action

As our COO Bobby Reese reiterated in his article on page 3, Regulatory Excellence cannot exist without each of us behaving with integrity at all times. As one of our expected behaviors, integrity requires that we consistently behave in an ethical,

honest and responsible manner – even when no one is watching or when we feel pressure to achieve results. While we all have the intention of “integrity,” in the end it is our behaviors that matter. Our behaviors – not our intentions – create an impact on others because behaviors are what others see, hear or feel. So, while we may define who we are by our intentions, others define us by our behaviors. If the two are not in alignment, then we are not being genuine and authentic … and others will notice and begin to draw conclusions about us that may or may not be accurate.

As humans, we tend to be very judgmental, often placing judgment on a person’s perceived “intention” vs. his or her actual “behavior” – even though we don’t actually know the intentions of the other person. In other words, we assume their intentions based on the behavior we see, how we react (our feelings) or the kind of relationship we have with them. This is our first mistake, as it clouds our perception of what actually happened (the behavior) with what we believe motivated the person (the intention). And we all know what happens when we assume …

So, if you must, always assume positive intent. This does not mean that you blindly trust others. Rather, it means that as you examine the behaviors of others, do so with the assumption that their motives are just and honest. This way of thinking – letting behaviors speak for themselves – will allow you to build and sustain stronger relationships with students, associates, business partners, family and friends. Throughout my career, I have investigated many situations where individuals were alleged to have behaved dishonestly or inappropriately. And unfortunately, while there were times that these allegations were found to be true, more often than not what we found was a misunderstanding that was based on a negative assumption (judgment) about the person. Assuming positive intent not only allows you to maintain relationships in the face of adversity, but it also protects you from leaping to conclusions. Most importantly, it also gains you the respect of others.

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Vicki Whisenhant, Chief People Officer VWhisenhant@medtech.edu

Sally repeats the question about the money she earned selling Beanie Babies. Fanny asks Sally, “Well, do you still have the money?” Sally responds that she does not. “ Well then,” Fanny says, “you don’t need to report it. Besides, if you report the money, the amount of financial aid available to you might be reduced.”

On Sally’s first day of class, she approaches her instructor Ms. Walden and tells her that she suffers from ADHD and will need accommodation for tests. Ms. Walden informs Sally that she will give her time and a half to take any tests in the course she teaches. A couple of weeks later, Sally has an appointment with Ms. Walden to talk about her performance on a recent test. Sally brings her new boyfriend, Butch, to the appointment, and together they review Sally’s performance and her grades with Ms. Walden.

VIOLATION #1: Statement of accreditation. The Department of Education does not accredit schools. Our Greenwood, Indianapolis, Lexington, Fort Wayne, Radians and Orlando campuses are nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Our Marietta, Tucker, Silver Spring, Falls Church and Washington, DC, campuses are accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE).

VIOLATION #2: Statement of starting salaries. Admissions representatives should never quote actual salary ranges; rather, all applicants should be directed to the Department of Labor (DOL) website (http://www.dol.gov).

VIOLATION #3: Statement of financial aid. Applicants must report all income on the application for federal aid. The financial aid officer incorrectly told the applicant that she did not need to report the income since the applicant no longer had the money.

VIOLATION #4: Statement of ADA accommodation. The student tells her instructor that she has ADHD and needs an accommodation. Her instructor provides the accommodation. Instead, the instructor should have referred the student to the ADA Coordinator on campus.

One final situation was suggested as incorrect, when in fact it was not a violation. The story included the scenario where Sally brings her boyfriend to a meeting with her instructor and the instructor discusses Sally’s grades. This is not a violation as the student voluntarily brought another person into the discussion.

Many associates also thought there was an additional violation concerning transfer credits. In the situation, Sally asks her representative if Medtech credits will transfer to another school. The representative’s response is correct: “We are a career school focused on teaching student job skills, the credits are not likely to transfer, but the decision is made by the school into which Sally wants to transfer.”

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AtlAntA CSCJeannie BradyTanya CummingsBeth MillerBill Winkowski

RADIAnS Yasamin BadieiAnnie DanielsBruce GriffinVerna MyersErica RichardsonMary SutherlandAmber SwannMichelle Tucker

Falls ChurChClaudia Acha-SandovalNelson GaraisWilliam GulichDaniela HelouJessica RogalaDwayne Sammons

Fort WayneCynthia EllisLori FittsShavon FittsCindy HoardKaren IrvenJessica JehlRhonda JonesClaudette KelsawJeni KennedySylvia PageJessica PhiriBecky SchwartzAndrew StoutDebra SwingTameka Williams

GreenwoodAmy AubreyMonica Barkat-MasihChristi CalvertKaren FlasmanLisa FoleyReginald LampkinLoren RayJane Strange

IndIanapolIsAnna AvelineJustin HendersonMaria Leano-ArcherBrandi LondonPolly MillerKristin NolandGary PalmerMallory PiperTracy ReynoldsNancy RowlandsEmily SegoRyan StephensMark WagerMichelle Wilson

LexingtonRonda BaileyValerie BlakemoreStacey DavisAutumn GraceAllison HattonDianne HollarsAlice MorganJoanne Ray

MariettaEvens BerretteDean Friedland

SiLver SpringIrene FombuKara JordanIngrid Milton

tUCKer Lee BarnesClaudette Harris

WASHINGTON, DCJames BonnettMelena CabreraLauren CameronPamela DivelCandace GreenLucena JimenezVeronica KingViola NormanSoraya Schwartz

6 Extraordinary Times - Fall 2012

Greetings from the Campus Support Center

Q&A with Dan Streek, CFODStreek@medtech.edu

Dan joined the Medtech Tribe in July as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Here, we get to know the man behind the numbers.

Tell us about yourself.I’m married to Jane, my wife of 22 years. We met when we both worked at

the Arthur Andersen accounting firm. Golf is my main hobby. I play every weekend, during vacation and any other block of free time. I often go to the driving range before work.

How did you become interested in working in finance?Finance was an accident. I went to college not knowing what I wanted to do. I picked accounting because 1) I had to pick a major, and 2) I figured with an accounting degree I could do many things besides accounting.

Did you have any mentors early in your career?Not really, but I would say the early years at Arthur Andersen taught me a lot about work ethic and grinding away at things to get them done.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?I like a lot about my work, but the projects and events that always seem to make great memories are when we beat the odds and succeed as a team.

If you could name one thing that you’d really like to have an impact on to improve Medtech’s nationwide system, what would it be? I want to ensure that Medtech has the financial resources to grow and expand. There are so many opportunities, making capital management paramount.

What are your goals as the new CFO?Streamline processes and make daily life extraordinary for the Accounting/Finance team so that we are easy to do business with.

Where do you see Medtech in five years? I think we can really expand our footprint and establish ourselves as the premier healthcare-focused school in the US.

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Greetings from the Campus Support Center

Medtech Intranet: What’s the Point of SharePoint? George Hantzios, VP Information ServicesGHantzios@medtech.edu

We all know what the Internet is … it is what keeps us connected to the outside world – to our email, to our favorite websites and to our social media. An “intranet” is similar except that it is more for the inside world and is only accessible by those within the

organization. An intranet site provides more productive, effective and collaborative ways for us all to work together. In October, Medtech will be launching an intranet site that will link all of our associates across all of our campuses and all positions throughout the organization. In the past, we have used Outlook as our main vehicle when sharing information such as policies, updates, campus news, etc. In addition, we have relied on using something similar to a shared filing cabinet like our “R” drive to store information.

For the Medtech intranet, we have chosen Microsoft’s SharePoint, which is like an internal website that we can all access, to work collaboratively to post and share information about the company. SharePoint is an application that will open on everyone’s computer and will be where everyone will navigate to access “everything Medtech.” Essentially, SharePoint provides a “one-stop shop” for all of the information we need to be extraordinary in doing our jobs.

One of the main benefits of establishing an intranet site is to maintain a reliable way of having accurate, up-to-date information available at any time for everyone to see and access. But SharePoint goes beyond just being an online filing cabinet of information and documents. SharePoint is more of an experience, much like Facebook. It is a place where all of our associates will be able to see what’s happening across the company. There will be places on our site for you to see what’s happening at the organizational level and at every campus. You will have access to all the relevant information like training materials, policies, forms and templates all in one place. SharePoint is a tool that will allow us to act more like a tribe, with everyone having access to all the information in one location. It will allow us to better communicate, to eliminate a lot of clutter in our inboxes, to be more transparent; it will foster a more collaborative way to work together.

The first phase of the project began in September, which included transitioning all of our current information, documents and files to the intranet site. In other words, the “R” drive is going away! In October, we will start to use the intranet for news, announcements and event calendars. In early 2013, we will launch Phase Two, which will include more of the social and collaborative tools. Stay tuned!

Are You “Linked In”? Kirah Rahill, VP Career ServicesKRahill@medtech.edu

In the Spring newsletter, I asked you all to get “linked in” by connecting with Medtech’s company LinkedIn page — and the response has been nothing short of extraordinary! Since then, we have unveiled two additional LinkedIn pages for Career Services and Student Services.

First, our “Medtech Career Services: Job Leads, Job Tips & Career Connections” page is a phenomenal way for us to connect with our students, graduates, employment/externship/clinical partners and with each other! Our Directors of Career Services have been posting new job tips, advice, job leads, career information and more every week.

In addition, our Student Services Coordinators and other associates have been posting each week on the “Medtech Student Services” page. Here they share community resources, study tips, advice, stats, networking opportunities and more.

We hope that through these pages, our students and graduates can stay connected, continue learning and truly become extraordinary career professionals. What better way in today’s technology-driven world to foster professional development and networking? (Does anyone else see the beginnings of a Medtech Alumni Association?)If we come together and really promote both our Student Services and our Career Services LinkedIn group pages to our students, we

will make a lasting difference and stand out as one of the few industry pioneers in this regard. In order to do so, I’m asking for a few favors from you:

1. Visit LinkedIn.com to sign up and create a profile.2. When adding a current position to your profile, type “Medtech” under “Company Name.” Select “Medtech” from the list that populates. Choosing this page will ensure your profile is added to our page’s list of current employees and will allow others to connect with you.3. Visit linkedin.com/company/medtech and click “Follow” to stay up-to-date on the happenings on Medtech’s LinkedIn page.4. Search for “Medtech Career Services” and then “Medtech Student Services” to join our two new groups.5. Start now (and don’t stop!) encouraging and assisting our students and graduates with creating professional profiles on LinkedIn.6. Invite our students and graduates to join the groups, too!

Many thanks to the creativity and support of Bethany Smith, our social networking partner at PlattForm, and Rich Schechter, our in-house guru of marketing, for making this a reality.

If you have any questions, please speak with your campus Director of Career Services or Student Services Coordinator, or feel free to email me.

Thanks for sharing in the excitement with us as we continue to grow, and thank you in advance for helping our students/graduates do the same by connecting on LinkedIn.

8 Extraordinary Times - Spring 2012

Greetings from the Campus Support Center

From the Faculty Coaching Corner To enhance effectiveness in the classroom, here are some tips for one of the teaching skills identified as leading to success in the classroom: understanding learning styles.Did you ever wonder why you performed better under the tutelage of one teacher versus another in the exact same subject? The answer could very well lie in the way the teacher presented the information and learning styles. Everyone has a dominant learning style that shapes the way we understand and retain information. Understanding the various learning styles and how to best meet the needs of each student is essential to performing better in the classroom. As an instructor, once you have unlocked a student’s learning style and discovered the best methods for helping that student learn, you may be surprised to discover just how well he/she can flourish in the classroom, even in subjects that the student previously found difficult.

WHAT ARE LEARNING STYLES?Essentially, there are three primary learning styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Here, we’ll discuss the basic elements of each style:

VISUAL LEARNERSIndividuals with this preferred learning style typically learn through what they are able to see with their own eyes. Visual learners have a tendency to describe everything that they see in terms of appearances, and they love visual aids such as photos, diagrams, maps and graphs. In addition, visual learners like to see things written out and may have a hard time concentrating while listening to a subject being explained to them.

TIPS FOR THE MEDTECH CLASSROOM: Don’t just give out a copy of the PowerPoint slides for the students to follow. Instead, use handouts that require them to jot down the answers or write their own notes. Writing reinforces the learning!

AUDITORY LEARNERSAuditory learners are very good listeners. Students with this style will be able to recall what they hear and will prefer oral instructions. They tend to absorb information in a more efficient manner through sounds, music, discussions, etc. Auditory learners appreciate books on tape and may find that reading aloud will help them to retain information. Rather than written reports, auditory learners tend to do better on oral presentations and reports.

TIPS FOR THE MEDTECH CLASSROOM: Give your auditory students the opportunity to present to the class and create opportunities for discussion. These students will enjoy verbal “pop quizzes” and will retain more information when they are able to talk about the subject. If you have an auditory learner who is having difficulty in your class, offer tutoring by someone who speaks with a different intonation, inflection and tone.

KINESTHETIC LEARNERSKinesthetic learners are tactile learners. This means they learn best through moving, doing, acting out and touching. Projects that are hands-on in nature are best for kinesthetic learners. Kinesthetic learners tend to become frustrated when they must sit for long periods of time. They enjoy conducting experiments, exploring and performing tasks. TIPS FOR THE MEDTECH CLASSROOM: Play games that require full-body movement, conduct an experiment, ask the students to make something or act out a process.

One of the primary initiatives we are developing with our faculty is the ability to elevate the student experience by reaching out to each student’s dominant learning style. At the beginning of our students’ journey with Medtech, usually at New Student Orientation, they receive a learning styles inventory, which assesses their learning style. This information is collected by individual instructors in an effort to create the best possible learning environment. Understanding learning styles is essential to making that personal connection with each of your students. As you develop lesson plans, be sure to incorporate teaching elements that keep all three types of learners engaged!

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Greetings from the Campus Support Center

What Defines Effectiveness in the Classroom? Amy Dunn, VP Associate EngagementADunn@medtech.edu

I stumbled upon an interesting article as I was researching teacher effectiveness and related competencies. Through this search I wanted to know, “What makes

an effective instructor?” The article I read was posted in The New Yorker and was written by Malcolm Gladwell, author of The New York Times bestsellers Blink and The Outliers. In his article entitled “Most Likely to Succeed,” Gladwell speaks to the challenges of predicting a teacher’s success prior to ever seeing him or her in the classroom. Interestingly, he compares this challenge to the uncertainty faced in the NFL that he refers to as the “quarterback problem.” Gladwell submits that there are certain jobs, like teachers and quarterbacks, where there is very little that you can predict about a person’s success until after he or she is hired. In other words, you’ve got to see them in action.

Sure, test scores and student GPAs can help evaluate an instructor’s success in the classroom. As students’ test scores and grades get higher, we can assume the teaching skills of that instructor are significantly better than those of another instructor whose students achieve lower test scores. However, not everything a teacher imparts in the classroom can be measured by test scores or GPA. There are many ways an effective teacher engages his/her students that stimulate attentiveness and learning.

Through research done at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, Gladwell identified three competencies that impact student-teacher interaction and, therefore, teacher effectiveness:

REGARD FOR STUDENT PERSPECTIVE OR LEARNING STYLE. The ability to be flexible with various ways of engaging students is a key element of effectiveness in the classroom. If the subject is the digestive system, does the student prefer to hear you explain about each of the processes (auditory), watch a YouTube video (visual) or put together a model (kinesthetic)? Recognizing that our students learn in different ways is the first step in customizing your lesson plan to accommodate individual needs. You can learn more about learning styles and tips for the classroom on the previous page.

INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK. Based on research from the Virginia group, “This appears to be [the one competency] most closely linked to academic success.” This is huge! What do we mean by “feedback”? In the classroom, it means making a personal connection with a student based on an individual response. For example, if you ask a question, be sure to acknowledge the response(s) by addressing the student by name and asking him/her to share the experience. Then use that experience to build upon the teaching. You’ll find that with auditory students, they will want to actively participate and shout out the answers. Reward their learning style by acknowledging and reinforcing the process.

“WITH-IT-NESS.” This is the ability of a teacher to be completely on top of his/her game and maintain control of a classroom simply through his/her presence. An instructor with “with-it-ness” doesn’t need to be a firm disciplinarian; these instructors already have established classroom expectations up front, and students know what will and will not be tolerated. Addressing unwanted behavior quickly and directly is a necessary aspect of classroom management, and you will earn your students’ respect beginning with the first day of class.

So, if Malcolm Gladwell is right — that we cannot anticipate performance in the classroom before an instructor is hired — how do we ensure that these three competencies are identified and reinforced? First, we need to ensure that we’re using behavioral interview questions when hiring instructors. Ask about a time when they had a class that was difficult to manage. Or, if they have never been in the role of

an instructor, ask about a challenge with others — preferably in a team setting where they had a leadership role — that they had to overcome. Second, teaching demos should be encouraged. During the interview process, ask the potential new instructor to teach a topic for a small group of associates. Look for engagement with the different learning styles and opportunities for instructor-student feedback. And last, our new instructors must be observed frequently with real-time coaching.

At Medtech, we are fortunate to have tapped into years and years’ worth of knowledge and experience through the subject matter experts who comprise our faculty. If you are an instructor — full-time, part-time or adjunct — I invite you to evaluate your own effectiveness beyond book smarts. At a minimum, are you aware of your students’ learning needs? Are you making a personal connection through opportunities to provide individual feedback? Are you maintaining control of the classroom without sacrificing our students’ unique perspectives? The answers to these questions will ultimately reflect your overall effectiveness.

If you’re interested in reading Malcolm Gladwell’s original article, visit http://www.newyorker.com, select “archives” and search for “most likely to succeed.” The article was published December 15, 2008.

“…there is very little that you can predict about a person’s

success until after he or she is hired. In other words, you’ve got to see them in action.”

10 Extraordinary Times - Fall 2012

I have been saying this for years: Try to envision the end result you want to achieve, and then start imagining and planning how you will get there. This has been a real-life strategy for me, and any

time I think I need a plan to accomplish something, I put myself through this mind exercise.

It’s a very simple idea, but one that is easy to lose sight of on a daily basis because we all find ourselves immersed in so many details. The challenge is to keep your vision front and center and know what you have to do to get there. Then you can enjoy the journey along the way.Now, I’m not saying I’m great at this, but I sure do try. I’m not even saying I’m qualified to give anyone this advice (although I do have an undergraduate degree in sociology!), but I think you can find this simple motivational technique useful in all areas of your personal and professional life.

Try to get a clear mental picture of what you want to achieve, plan it out and then go for it. Don’t let all the distractions get in the way. If we are to achieve true precision and routine as a company, we

all have to understand exactly what we are going for and maintain focus on achieving it, despite the many day-to-day challenges that will indeed arise for us all.

To further inspire you, I would like to introduce you to Dilip Kethireddy, our fellow associate, who sends a weekly inspirational message via email to everyone at Medtech each Friday. Dilip works for us as a systems analyst in our Information Technology group at the Campus Support Center (CSC) in Atlanta. Like many of you, I also have enjoyed and been inspired by some of the wonderful stories Dilip shares with us in his inspirational messages. So I asked Dilip if he would let me interview him so we could get the inside story on how he comes up with this stuff, what motivates him to do this, how he got started, where his passion comes from, etc. I’m playing investigative reporter, and Dilip was kind enough to give us full access to the man behind the weekly inspirational messages! Check out my interview with Dilip on the next page …

If You Can’t See It, You Can’t Do It! Richard Schechter, VP MarketingRSchechter@medtech.edu

Greetings from the Campus Support Center

When you see the new Medtech TV commercials, you might mistake them for a talk show — like Oprah or Ellen — or you might even think you are watching reality TV. No, no, no!

They are the new Medtech “Back to School” TV commercials, where Medtech created a talk show environment to discuss the challenges and opportunities of going back to school and the benefits of committing to an extraordinary healthcare career education from Medtech. You will meet the host and all of the characters. At the end of one of the commercials, the production crew brings in life-sized cardboard stand-ups of each of the characters dressed in their scrubs. They get to keep them as a gift, so they will always remember how much their lives have changed since they went to Medtech and how extraordinary they have become.

These reality-style commercials were produced in both English and Spanish, so there is plenty of fun to go around in two languages.

Don’t miss out on the excitement! If you can’t catch them on TV, you can also view them on the Medtech YouTube channel by visiting YouTube.com/medtechEDU. Send me an email and let me know how you like them at rschechter@medtech.edu. Let’s talk about it!

Have You Seen the New Medtech TV Commercials? Back to School: Let’s Talk About It! Richard Schechter, VP MarketingRSchechter@medtech.edu

Greetings from the Campus Support Center

ATLANTA CSC Wesley Debnam

ForT WAyNeChris Palevich

GreeNWoodHolly GreenMike HardingJennifer HazelwoodLee Williams

IndIanapolIsAmanda DayPaula DeerrCedric ElliottJennifer McKeemanSimin ShirzadiPatricia SmithJennifer Trout

sIlVER spRInG Monica GravesRaina Lewsey

ATLANTA CSC Teresa Tantillo

RAdiANS Rohini Maris

GReeNwood Amanda HelferMechelle Polter

SiLveR SpRiNGKevin Martin

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RICH: How did you become the Medtech Motivational Messages Guy? DILIP: It all started with sharing thoughts among a few people at the CSC. Then Vicki

[Whisenhant] and Amy [Dunn] requested I send out inspirational messages every week after getting a green [light] from my great boss, George [Hantzios].

RICH: What made you want to take on this special role? What makes you qualified for this?DILIP: I have my personal agenda. I can only be happy if people around me [have] positive energy.

RICH: What does an IT guy know about motivational messages? IT work doesn’t seem very inspirational.DILIP: It’s interesting that I am being identified as a geek and I am super proud of that. We do have the other side [that] just never gets exposed or gets a chance.

RICH: Where do you actually get your motivational messages? Do you have a source you want to share with the rest of us? DILIP: Sources are so wide — [including] from the childhood stories of my dad, friends and the Internet.

RICH: What are your selection criteria for picking that perfect message?DILIP: Most of the time, I pick depending on what I saw that week at work or in my life and I get reminded of that and keep positive energy. [As an] immigrant, I need this energy, because 98 percent of the time, my life is in others’ hands.

RICH: Have you ever created one of these messages on your own or are you just inspired by the works of others and want to share them?DILIP: If you notice broken English, that’s the story I put together. Unknown sources [are] shared by friends and the Internet.

RICH: How do you think your messages truly help others?DILIP: Many times I [receive] a reply saying, “I needed this message today.” If my message is able to keep at least one fellow tribe member happy, that’s more than enough for me to get the next message ready.

Q&A with Dilip Kethireddy, Medtech’s Motivational Messages Guy DKethireddy@medtech.edu

RICH: Have you gotten any positive and/or negative feedback regarding your message themes or your role as the Motivational Messages Guy?DILIP: Obviously, if you are just going to hear good all the time, for sure you are on the wrong path. I have received an equal amount of positive and negative [feedback]. Positive feedback includes one fellow tribe [member] saying she shares stories [with] her daughter. One career advisor asked me if she can share it among students to keep positive energy. I mean I cannot ask for more than this. One among negative feedback: “This is my third request to be removed from email list.” I still remember that first hit I got. I was shocked for a while and was ready to get more and never got disappointed by requests to remove from the email list.

RICH: This is a special contribution you have been making here at Medtech. Do you see it continuing indefinitely? DILIP: I will do this as long as stories jive with our Medtech culture.

RICH: Tell us your favorite topic that you have written about.DILIP: Topics like motivation, compassion for fellow beings and kindness.

RICH: In my article I wrote about starting with the end in mind. Apply this idea to your daily work here at Medtech. How does this idea come to life for the guy who inspires so many others?DILIP: My work is completely dependent on envisioning something and going for it. As a developer, I have to see what a user is trying to achieve when asking for something and how exactly is that going to improve or impact the business.

A special thank you to Dilip for sharing his passion for inspiring others to achieve great things through vision, observation, learning, respect, honesty, patience and kindness for others, often displayed in the words of his weekly Medtech inspirational and motivational messages.

If you have a specific topic that you would like Dilip to explore from the inspiration within, please send him a message at dkethireddy@medtech.edu.

INTEGRITY • ACCOUNTABIL ITY • EXCELLENCE • RESPECT

COLLABORATION • INNOVATION • STRAIGHT TALK • FUN