Inaugural MedCerts Program Released
MedCerts launches its first Healthcare Information Management program, sold as a wholesale product to bricks and mortar schools across the country. Course content a mix of video-based lecture and courseware (textbook) review. Subject-matter support is provided by a mix of 3rd party SME and on-site (non-SME) instructors serving the role of mentors.
MedCerts obtains Proprietary School Status
MedCerts becomes licensed in the State of Michigan as a proprietary school, taking ownership of the entire student experience. The LiveMentors support platform is developed and deployed to serve student support. With full school capabilities, MedCerts expands its product line to include Pharmacy Technician and Electronic Health Records, and aligns with new funding opportunities (WIOA, MyCAA, Academic Partnerships – FGCU).
MedCerts Launches Medical Billing/Coding program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
MedCerts launches DHHTraining.com to serve the deaf and hard of hearing community. The program is fully transcribed, captioned and imbedded with a split screen viewing window containing an ASL translator to align with spoken word in real-time. This initiative was born out of a drastic need for training opportunities within this community, and funding available through workforce and vocational rehab grants available nationwide.
MedCerts Brings Video Production In-House
MedCerts builds its first state-of-the-art video production studio at its Livonia headquarters, allowing for unlimited studio access, high-end audio and video recording, and green-screen capabilities.
MedCerts Launches the first 100% Online ASHP-Accredited Pharmacy Tech Program in the US
After years of development and extensive review by the ASHP/ACPE, the MedCerts Pharmacy Technician Professional program is formally accredited, and represents the United States’ first program of its kind to gain accreditation. ASHP accreditation is the highest form of approval in industry. Within this program, MedCerts was challenged to solve for the modeling of clinical skills, and for providing a “simulation” component where students must record themselves performing tasks and activities using materials provided by MedCerts within a Simulation Kit. This program also introduced MedCerts to formal Externships, which are a requirement for accredited programs.
Dedicated Professional Product Development Team is Formed
A strategic plan to dramatically expand the MedCerts catalog was implemented through execution by a new and dedicated Product Development Team. A combination of local and offshore team members was assembled and were challenged to create a series of “Clinical” courses, with an emphasis on learner engagement through interactivity, micro-learning, and enhancement of overall product quality. The adoption of David Merrill’s Principles of Instruction meant that curriculum development and production would mark a dramatic shift in instructional design theory.
The MedCerts 12 Elements of eLearning
With the adoption of Merrill’s Principles of Instruction, and a plan to produce a series of clinical courses – it was clear that innovations and enhancements needed to be made to allow learners the ability to gain clinical skills in an eLearning environment. To achieve this, we created a “toolbox” from which all future programs would be built. The toolbox is referred to as the MedCerts 12 Elements of eLearning. Each element represents a unique way in which we deliver content to the learner and ensures that all learning styles are represented. Courses now contain elements such as gamification, 3D animated skills demonstration, live skills demonstrations, scenario-based learning, virtual hands-on, and of course – anchored by HD Quality Instructor-Led Video.
Web-Based Simulation using WebGL Technology
To allow for download-free learning tools that are accessible through common web browsers, innovations were made that allowed for the deployment of such tools using WebGL technology.
MedCerts Launches the First Course Within a Clinical Series
The Medical Assistant program represents the first “Clinical” program to be offered by MedCerts. While launched early in the Product Team’s efforts towards innovation and use of new and emerging technologies, we introduce game-based learning and a comprehensive series of task-based demonstration videos to engage the learner and allow for greater line of sight into clinical tasks and procedures.
Performance-Based Exam Preparation
With an intent to better prepare learners for certification success, we launched a solution powered by Brillium software which imbeds knowledge assessments within and after each course. These assessments are built to mimic the question type, quantity, and time associated with the actual certification exam. Assessment results can be aggregated and reported to clearly shown domain-area deficiencies which can be focused on prior to sitting for the exam.
Clinical Program Series Expansion
Leveraging enhanced eLearning elements such as 3D Animated Task-Based Demonstration, Screen-Based Simulations, Scenario-Based Learning, and upgrades to Game-Based Learning – MedCerts launches three additional “Clinical” programs: Phlebotomy Technician, EKG Technician, and Patient Care Technician. New innovations in product development allow for an unparalleled student experience and set MedCerts apart from all other programs in the market.
Adoption of Unreal Engine for 3D Rendering
The adoption of Unreal Engine for 3D rendering revolutionized the production pipeline at Medcerts, marking a significant shift in operational efficiency and output quality. By integrating Unreal Engine to render 3D videos, Medcerts has observed a dramatic improvement in its creative processes. With traditional tools, rendering a 2-minute video can take 30-40 hours. With Unreal Engine, it takes just 15 minutes. This efficiency gain extends beyond rendering times; the setup for scenes, lighting, and post-processing has also become notably faster and more streamlined. Such enhancements have not only expedited the development process but have also increased overall productivity by approximately 90% at Medcerts. This transition underlines Unreal Engine’s potent capabilities in 3D rendering, setting a new standard for speed, efficiency, and quality in digital content creation within the organization.
Quality Hero (Q/A) Protocols Launched
With an intentional focus on quality improvement at all phases of development, a formalized Q/A model was defined, developed, and deployed. MedCerts conducts Q/A Hero reviews on all produced elements. These reviews focus on experiencing the course elements as a learner and identifying any potential technical or formatting concerns that may exist. Q/A Hero reviews are conducted independently by an assigned Quality Reviewer after all SME (Subject Matter Expert) reviews have been completed. By implementing the Q/A Hero Review process, MedCerts is better able to ensure consistency in formatting, grammar, style, and technical performance across all produced course elements.
Launch of Production and Media Style Guides
The Product Team developed an aesthetic style guide for all in-house produced Instructor Led Video content. Primarily, the style guide is the blueprint for maintaining visual continuity reflecting the MedCerts brand across all instructor-led lessons. After experimenting with a larger palette of accent colors, the style guide has been updated to the core “MedCerts Dark Blue” drawn from our longstanding, easy-recognition company logo. A secondary Light Blue is employed for additional text accenting. In reducing the text color palette, we maintain stronger consistency across a multi-producer project while also abiding by ADA guidelines for accessible screen text colors. Any refinements within the style guide are made with the most satisfying student experience as our ongoing focus.
MedCerts-Produced Courses Awarded University Credit
Excelsior University completed their comprehensive audit and review of five (5) MedCerts courses and awarded college-level credit for each which can be applied toward associate or bachelor’s degree programs. This marked the first of many current and future academic partnerships where credit transfer opportunities open doors for continuing education.
Professionalism in Allied Health
After interviews and surveys of health professionals, employers, MedCerts graduates, and subject matter experts from a variety of fields within healthcare – MedCerts launches its first “soft skills” course for allied health professionals, based on the feedback received from those surveyed. The result is a comprehensive course where skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, patient interaction, medical ethics, diversity and cultural bias, and professional appearance are covered – to best prepare students for on-the-job success. All MedCerts allied health programs contain this course as a prerequisite.
Rokoko MoCap Suit Acquired and Proves to be a Game-Changer
With the purchase of the Rokoko motion capture suit, our ability to produce high quality immersive animated content skyrocketed. The suit allows us to accurately transform human body movement to an animated state, which allows for complicated clinical skills to be modeled with absolute accuracy – while saving time and the costs associated with designing these movements from scratch. This solution has been critical to our advancement in scenario-based learning elements.
MedCerts launches first Augmented Reality tool, and Apple/Android App
MedCerts launches a tool to accompany its Anatomy & Physiology course that allows for an immersive learning experience powered by Augmented Reality through a mobile app. The tool is also available for a 3D experience on desktop computers. Learners can explore the human body and its systems in full detail, with embedded activities, over 50 simulations and dozens of assessments to improve knowledge retention, increase attention span, and create the ultimate learning experience.
MedCerts Wins Campus Technology Awards
The MedCerts Surgical Technologist program wins the highest honor (Platinum Award) from Campus Technology’s annual Career Prep New Product Awards category. Additionally, the newly launched A/R Anatomy and Physiology App wins highest honor (Platinum Award) in the STEM/STEAM App category.
Upgrade to Unreal Engine 5
An upgrade to Unreal Engine 5 has dynamically improved the quality of MetaHuman characters, and OpenAI, ChatGPT, and Machine Learning technologies we have adopted to set the stage for game-changing innovations within our 2024 product releases.
MedCerts Wins Multiple Stevie Awards, Including the Coveted People’s Choice Award
The MedCerts A/R Anatomy and Physiology App wins the highest honor (Gold Stevie Winner) in the Virtual Learning Solution category from the American Business Awards. The App also takes home the People’s Choice Award for Favorite New Product.
First Specialization Program Launched on Coursera platform
In partnership with Coursera, MedCerts commits to the creation of a series of custom “specialization” programs accessible to a global audience within the Coursera platform. These programs are not designed to prepare learners for certification, but instead allow for enhanced knowledge in key in-demand fields – where future training, education, certifications, or degrees may follow through other means.
Launch of AI-Powered Scenario Based Learning
Harnessing the immense power of Conversational AI, Generative AI, and Natural Language Processing – MedCerts launches a series of Scenario-Based Learning elements that allow for learner conversation with virtual humans as complicated and sensitive topics are discussed, much as would be found on the job. Leveraging ChatGPT as the large language model (LLM) to power the interactions, each interaction can be unique – but guided and gated by MedCerts within the parameters established within the End-to-End (E2E) platform.
MedCerts Use of AI in HealthTech Earns Merit Award
We are honored to be Bronze Winners of the Merit Awards for Healthcare in the category HealthTech: Best Use of AI. The freshly launched Scenario-Based Learning elements integrated in the new Mental Health Support Specialist program pushes past the limits of traditional eLearning tools and elevates this and future programs to fit the needs of an evolving learner population.
