Business ProfileforPrepMD, LLC

Last year I attended a Passport training with PrepMD to become proficient in programming and interrogating cardiac pacemakers and other cardiac devices. This involved completing two separate modules on-line. Each module was given 5 months to complete then attending either a month or week-long training in ******.A key reason that I chose this program is because the website advertised that it had a 98% placement rate with a median salary of $85,000. There were 5 different programs available with PrepMD at that time. It also advertised a discount of $500 for the training when an individual registered. At that time, I requested they send me more information on the training. In December of 2021, *************************** contacted me to discuss the program and some of the things it entailed. He said that with my experience and education that I could get through the information and attend the in-person training in March 2022. After consideration of what was discussed, I made it known that I would be purchasing the training for the first module for cardiac devices. In our discussion of the modules, he did not tell me that I needed a code to receive the $500 discount when registering. When I looked at my credit card statement, I had been charged the full amount for the training. I contacted **************** to enquire about the charge and discount. It was at that time he told me of the need for a code to receive the discount. I told him I was not told this and asked about receiving the discount for the second module. After further discussion with other administration, I was given a $300 discount on the second module, not the full $500 as originally advertised. As I was completing the information in the training, it became apparent to me that I would not be able to get through the extensive information in time to attend the in-person training in March as had been stated by ****************. I was finally able to complete both modules in early June.When I went to make my travel arrangements to ******, I looked at the website to check on the dates of the training. It stated the dates as being the first full week of June. However, the dates were consequently moved to the last week of June. When I emailed to inquire about the training date I was informed that there had been a decision to move the date and an email had been sent to inform me. However, when I checked my inbox and junk mail I did not find any email informing me of this change. When I arrived in ****** for the training, it became apparent within the second day I had not adequately prepared allowing me to better understand information presented at the in-person training. I have both a Bachelors and Masters of Science and have never felt so unprepared as I did with this training. I know ultimately, I am responsible for my own course preparation but also attribute my lack of readiness for this training to the statement made my **************** that I could get through the information. I found his statement misleading as to the level of preparedness I needed to have for a successful in-person training. There was no reviewing of foundational information at the training but a person needed to have a very good level of understanding of the information presented in the modules. This was not conveyed to me at any time in the six months I took getting through the information as **************** had stated. I had a 10 month time frame to get through the material, he stated I could get through it in 3. I got through the information in 6 but could have been much better prepared if it had been conveyed that I needed to have a much better level of understanding other than getting through the training material. Upon arriving for the week-long training, another lady and I were placed in with 9 other individuals who had been attending the month-long training. I knew I would not be receiving the same training as those who had been in training for the 3 previous weeks but I did not expect to be put in the same training as them. I was then paired up with a 23-year-old student who had no professional experience but was also an attendee of the training. He seemed to have done well on the nightly quizzes but this did not make him qualified to instruct someone on how to properly interrogate patients and utilize program equipment. When I was in college, to become a graduate teaching assistant you had to have some experience to teach basic classes. I paid $3,000 for the in-person training and I do not feel it was appropriate for a young student with no experience to be doing a professionals job. At some point in time the individuals who attended the month-long training had to be shown how to properly use the same equipment which I believe would have been one of the instructors who had several years of experience.Once I returned home, I had a resume professionally created and started filling out applications with national companies. After several months of no results, I recalled the claim of a 98% placement rate after program completion. I contacted PrepMD to see if there was someone who could look at my resume to see if there was something I needed to change. While I was attending the training, the other lady attending was told to bring her resume in to review with someone, so I was surprised when I was told, there is no one who did this. I was also told that a high percentage of jobs were filled before they were posted. Good luck, Lu. I kept filling out applications without many results, so in January of 2023 I contacted the Executive Vice President of Operations, ********************* who taught several of the classes that I had attended. I told him of my experience of asking if there was an individual who could look at my resume and make suggestions. I also asked how they could make the statement of having a 98% placement rate when I had not been contacted to see if I had found employment in the medical device industry. It was at that time I was informed that the statement of 98% placement with median income of $85,000 only applied to the Core Program which is a 4 month in-person training that covers 3 different disciplines in cardiac device products. ************ did bring up how at the end of the workshop it was discussed there was a need for some individuals to close some gaps in our training and there was an opportunity to develop a plan moving forward. I, however, do not remember this being stated but admitted that I really wanted to get home after a very rough week. ************ was also going to forward my email to **************** to address some of my concerns I had expressed with my email. **************** did leave me a voicemail that he had a discussion with **** and he was looking forward to helping me with my resume. Due to my work schedule, I was not able to return his voicemail for a few days. When I left him a return voicemail, I conveyed to him days and times I could be contacted but I never did receive a reply to that voicemail. I responded to Mr. ***** initial response answering his questions as to what I have been doing since completion of the workshop. I also posed other questions and stated concerns about my experience with PrepMD. He did respond to my second email. He stated he was in meetings all day and that he would read it and respond. He did not. I sent a third email asking if he had had an opportunity to find information to some of the questions I had posed. He again did not respond.I feel that despite my reaching out to PrepMD for assistance, they did not follow through with things that were discussed through email or voicemail. They went through the motions, but failed to carry out with any of their intentions resulting in tangible results for developing a plan for me to follow to better my knowledge or chances to attain employment.