TrainSmart: The Medical Device Educators’ Podcast

How has your new hire training program changed over the last several years? In this episode, Liz and Rachel discuss how they worked with a client to develop a strategic new hire training program to onboard reps faster and with less time in the in-person classroom. By intentionally choosing to place training content in virtual learning, classroom training, or field training opportunities, Cumby Con...

eLearning doesn't have to suck. It can be interactive, problem-centered, and relevant to the real world. In this episode, Liz and Rachel discuss a recent eLearning project where they helped a client develop a product overview module that left reps excited and ready to sell. Come hear how the project morphed over time and how Cumby Consulting communicates with clients throughout the development pro...

This week Liz and Rachel discuss how Cumby Consulting helped an organization scale and adapt its current U.S.-based physician training program to a global virtual training program. Tune in to hear the process, outcome, and key learnings during this partnership between Cumby Consulting and its client. Related Resources: TrainSmart members can download the Physician & Staff Learner Personas docu...

Competency exams ensure reps know the IFU and can cover the case accordingly. In this week's episode, Liz & Rachel dive into a case study of how Cumby Consulting worked with a company to develop and implement a competency exam for their reps. Listen in to hear the process and best practices for using competency exams. Related Resources: TrainSmart members can download the Exam Best Practices h...

Working with consultants can save you time, energy, and money, or it can cost you more time, energy, and money. Choosing the right consultant to work with and setting clear expectations for how to work together can save you a lot of headaches and resources. In this episode, Liz and Rachel discuss how Cumby Consulting is more than a "vendor" and what they do to get to know their clients on a person...

When was the last time you attended an all-day training? This can be a great way to put yourself in your learners' shoes as you work to understand why pre-work doesn't get done, why last minute dropouts might be necessary, and why every training should allow for movement and a variety of activities. Related Resources: Want to join a community who can help you brainstorm solutions to these common p...

You're more than a meeting planner. Even though you know this is true, you need to be intentional about communicating your value and the value of your training programs to senior leadership. Join Liz & Rachel as they discuss how to communicate with senior leaders regarding your successes and how to ask them for the support you need. Related Resources: TrainSmart members can download the Journa...

Taking dedicated time away will save you time and reap great benefits for your organization. Tune in to hear Liz & Rachel discuss the importance of investing in yourself and your own learning. Hear Liz's tips for explaining to your boss why the time away and cost of professional development is worth it for your company. Related Resources: Are you ready to invest in yourself and join the TrainS...

Where do you go when you need a training resource or idea? Do you have a list of others in the industry who can help you at any time? That's the beauty of the TrainSmart community. TrainSmart is an authentic, tight-knit community of medical device educators to support your growth and development-both professionally & personally. In this episode, Liz discusses why she started TrainSmart and how...

Tune in to hear Liz & Rachel's favorite training tricks to engage adult learners. As Rachel says, "Adults are sometimes the worst and sometimes the best. It's about bringing out the best in them as we work to train them." Today, they are sharing how they do that! Tune in! Be sure to listen to Episode 36 " Focus on Adult Learning " with guest, Kerry Engler. Related Resources: Ready to go a step...

We all want to appear knowledgeable and intelligent, but when you are learning something for the first time mistakes are bound to happen. Learners need a safe environment to try & fail so that they can try again & succeed. Liz & Rachel share the routines they build into their training programs to ensure a safe space for learners. Be sure to listen to Episode 36 " Focus on Adult Learnin...

Our motivations for attending a training course and our past educational traumas play a significant role in our current adult learning experiences. Today, Liz & Rachel share their unique viewpoints that shape their experiences both as a learner and a facilitator. This is a can't miss conversation for all trainers. Be sure to listen to Episode 36 " Focus on Adult Learning " with guest, Kerry En...

Think about yourself as a learner. You are sitting in a training. How do you want to learn? Chances are you want to be involved in the process and have some autonomy. You need a safe environment with fresh ideas and more than just an exam to test your knowledge. Today's guest, Kerry Engler, is an experienced change consultant, instructional designer, and facilitator. She shares how incorporating a...

There are so many tools & technologies out there to enhance your training programs, so where do you start? Tune in today to get Liz & Rachel's top 4 technologies that they use on a regular basis. Do you have a favorite tool or technology? Tell us about it on LinkedIn @CumbyConsulting and help your fellow med educators! Missed Liz & Barbara's conversion in episode 31, " The Wide World o...

One of the biggest training misconceptions out there is that training is a one-time event, usually narrowed down to the new hire training class. Myth busted! Since training is definitely not a one-time event, how often should we have it? The answer: all the time! But, don't let that scare you. You do not need to hold large scale training classes to implement a culture of continual learning. It cou...

Knowing the in's and out's of your products is vital for any sales rep. Equally as important is how to get your product into the hands of the physicians - and that's where the sales process comes in. Today, Liz & Rachel explore how product training competency is intertwined with the sales process and some best practices for combining them in a training program. Missed Liz & Barbara's conve...

Generally speaking sales reps are a fun and energetic crowd to be around. Knowing their motivations and personality traits is a good start to designing a training program, but let's take it one step further between the new sales hire and your existing sales team. The components you use to put together a successful program for each audience are going to be different. In today's episode, Liz & R...

What immediately comes to mind when you think of Sales Training? It could be new hire training classes, or training on new products. There is so much that goes into a quality sales training program, from the modalities and facilitators to the content and assessments. We touch on all of it in today's episode. Our guest, Barbara Samaha is a 14-year veteran in global sales training - and she has some...

Gone are the days of slapping up a presentation and testing learners with questions at the end. Today's eLearning modules are filled with interactivity to keep your learner's engaged on the topic at hand. What topics are ideal for this training modality? Find out in today's episode as Liz & Rachel discuss their favorite learning material for self-paced modules and when to use voiceover - or no...

The world of virtual classrooms has exploded over the past couple of years and proven that it isn't going anywhere. So where and when should we as trainers use them in our programs? Liz & Rachel discuss some of the best topics for virtual classroom training. And remember, this ain't your momma's webinar (there's a place for those too). A virtual classroom is meant to be as interactive (or mayb...

We all know that in-person classroom training builds connection and community among the learners and the company more so than any other modality, but is that worth the budget line for travel & lodging? Check out why we think so in today's episode. In addition to connecting sales with each other and the company, Liz & Rachel discuss the ideal situations to use in-person training - even when...

If we've learned anything over the last 2 years, it's to be flexible in our training plans. We've navigated the ups & downs of in-person training, switching to virtual classrooms, and migrating content to eLearnings. We have a host of modalities at our disposal, so let's use them wisely. This month, we are looking at different training modalities, exploring how & when to use them to develo...

Remember back in your school days when the teacher would allow you to use a notecard during your test? You'd write down everything you could on that little 3x5. You may have aced the exam, but did you really learn anything? The purpose of level 3 assessments is to ensure that your new sales rep is credible & confident in real life (IRL) situations. Do they get to use aids IRL? Then by all mean...

Show of hands... who likes to take surveys after an event? While some surveys can be monotonous, tedious, too long or too boring, yours don't have to be. It could be as simple as asking the right questions, and avoiding the wrong ones! Today, Liz and Rachel give you their hot takes on questions they love to ask and questions they avoid on their level 1 smile sheets (don't know what a level 1 smile...

Our goal for training assessments is for everyone to pass. We want our learners to feel confident with their new knowledge when they walk into their evaluation. An important part of that is grader reliability and consistency. If grader A and grader B score the same answer on completely different ends of the spectrum, our learners will feel deflated when they get the "hard graders". That's not the...