Picking just one goal is going to be hard for me because I'm still making small goals every day and trying to learn more about what my role is here so that I can create some good long term goals. But the one goal I would pick right now that I want to accomplish before I leave here is to have a well rounded experience and add at least one thing from each department to my skill set in the workplace. I guess my goal is to learn, but I specifically want to make sure I cover all the bases and get at least a little something from everywhere, so I can use it later in anything that might come my way.

Wow.  A whole month has gone by.  On the other hand, has it really only been a month?  It's incredible that I can feel like I've just started, and been here for so long all at once.  My professional goal while I am here is simple.  I want to learn.  I want to learn how to set up, maintain, manage, upgrade, administer, interact with, empathize with, and talk with complex corporate computer networks.  I've already learned a ton, but I know full well that, relatively, I don't have a clue.  I really just want to be able to leave SHM after my time is up, being confident in my abilities, and knowing what I'll need in order to succeed in life.

Goal

Marketing is always fascinating to me. I feel like my knowledge fund has never been full as I dive into the dynamic and colorful marketing world. To me, its central theme of "being different" brings out variety and innovation of marketing. So, until I walk out of SHM, I want to figure out myself how marketing for non-profit organizations is different from that of profit-driven entities, and how to make it effective. I know goals should be specific, but let's just consider the main idea of it. I am pretty sure that I can learn this matter in school, but, for me, why don't take this opportunity and learn it from SHM? And since I'm doing PR here, I hope I can specify my goal toward the PR.

I hope we all successfully achieve our goals after 6-month working in SHM.
Cheers,

TN
---

I can't believe we are already almost done with our third week here already! One professional goal that I want to accomplish while I am at SHM is really getting an understanding of how hospitalists and nurses work together in the hospital areas. Since I am a nursing major getting an understanding of this is something that really interests me and I think is helpful to know. It's nice to see this side of the business in the sense that nursing doesn't always have to be actually physically caring for patients at the hospital but be on a team that cares, reaches out for and prevents problems from occurring. Therefore getting a better understanding of how the nurses fit into this team seems like it would be something that would be good to understand fully.

-Ashley Bupp

Good afternoon!!!

One professional goal that I have while working at SHM is to incorporate Finance into my experience here. Because I am both a Marketing and Finance major, I hope to be assigned projects in both these areas while working at SHM. I can already tell that I will be able to do this being that I am working with Jacqui. I love how much responsibility that everyone has already given me and I know that I am going to have an amazing learning experience that will greatly benefit my future career.

Happy Monday everyone.......almost 1 month into your co-ops...time flies, right?

 
What is a professional goal that you want to accomplish before you leave SHM?

Biggest Challenge

I agree with Jackie that working the phones will be a challenge here, but I think that I’ll be able to get the hang of that by learning more of the FAQs that the callers have so I don’t have to transfer them all the time or lose it because I’ve left the person on hold forever trying to find who to transfer to. I think the biggest challenge I will have overall though is mastering iMIS. I don’t even know if it’s possible to master iMIS. I’ve only been working with it for two weeks and I can see why everyone gets so frustrated with it all the time. But I’m not going to give up on it, and I hope that I’ll become very skilled in using it and find ways to make do with the frustrations that come with it. I am going to ask Deedee everything I can about iMIS and try my best to get extra work with it so I don’t struggle with it. I know it’s going to be a challenge, but I feel like I can handle it.

Hey everyone!

It is now the end of our second week here at SHM. Definitely a different feel this week compared to last since this week I was assigned actual tasks and got to be a part of meetings that weren't simply orientation related and were more QI "the center" focused. I also got to do my first week of phone duty yesterday. I find phones pretty easy. Its a nice break to just go out front and simply answer calls for a little. I think my most challenging task/part of my job here at SHM is going to be figuring out how to complete all of the little tasks I am given in the most efficient way. Most of the things I do are "do as they come" tasks that either Lauren, Ann or Jade give me and are usually all very different. Since each of them use different programs and do different things for the QI team. I like that all of my projects are very different but the challenging thing will be doing them all and learning how to use all the different systems to do so.

-Have a good weekend!
Ashley Bupp

Second post

Well, I have to say that I do not expect phone duty to be the toughest part of working here. I know a lot of other people might freak out about it, but it's not really any big deal. You just need to know how to talk. To me, the toughest encounter is probably going to be learning the ins-and-outs of every single system I'll be working with. Already I've gotten crash-courses on iMIS, 5pm, Kaseya, Active Directory, and I'm sure there will be many others. But it's all interesting material, and I am really looking forward to learning it all.

A close second as far as difficulty is going to be learning everyone's name/locations in the office. I am terrible with names and faces in general.

Tough

Hey everyone,

It's now my second week. I think I have better understanding of what's going on at SHM. I still try to catch up with a lot more things, but at least I feel more confident than the first day I walk into here. I understand my tasks and projects, for what I have been assigned so far. However, I think the toughest encounter for me is to comprehend how all the tasks and projects get connected to generate outcomes. Not only see how each person's works can specifically benefit the whole process within the marketing department, in particular, but also between different departments like QI, Center, Education, and Membership. This would be overwhelming for people who get here for just two weeks. And I think this can benefit everyone (co-ops and full-time) in term of motivating them to put efforts, to feel good of whatever they can contribute, and to appreciate others works.

-TN

I think that most of us are going to have similar responses to this weeks post. I believe my toughest encounter at SHM is going to be answering the phones. So far I haven't had any terrible experiences, besides a woman telling me her and her husband's whole life story. The hardest part is going to be determining the right person to transfer the calls to. I am still getting adjusted to using the phones, but Elaine and Dee Dee both have been a huge help with getting situated.


Other than that everything is going great! I am still super excited to be working here at SHM!

Thank you all for amazing first posts. Keep it up!

Here's your second question:

What do you think will be your toughest encounter during your time here at SHM?
How will you handle it?

First Week(s)

Well, I have worked here for only two weeks, but already I feel like less of an outsider than after several months at my last co-op. That is really the most surprising thing to me, just how welcoming and friendly everyone is. At my last co-op, I always felt like someone who was nothing more than a person at a desk, one who would leave in a few months and be forgotten. Here, however, it seems like I am actually a part of the company. Also, I had no idea that Todd taught UNIV 101 at Drexel.

These first two weeks have been mostly about learning my way around the office and the computer systems in use. One of my major goals here is to learn everything I can about managing computer networks and servers, and to that end I have already gotten a huge start. However, as always, I am sure there is a lot more for me to learn, and I look forward to it all.

All in all, I'm really looking forward to the rest of my time here at SHM, far more than at any job I've held before. I am certain that as the weeks go on, I'll be able to learn more and more.

~!Adam

My First Week!

During my first week at SHM I have surely learned a lot already. After the first day here I was taught about different projects and programs going on in the QI department (which is where I am working). At the beginning of it all I was still really unsure of what exactly goes on in my department but after hearing all about it I have a whole new outlook and understanding of what "the center" really does. It is super exciting because it all ties directly into the hospital settings and more closely even with nursing which is my major. I find it very interesting to see everything from an outside point of view as to what is going on in hospital settings rather than when I normally am actually in all the action during clinical rotations. So far I really like this point of view in the sense that they really work hard to prevent things that occur often in the hospital atmosphere through the projects and work they do.

I'm really excited to be working here and how helpful and friendly everyone in the office is. Everyone I have met so far genuinely wants to make this a beneficial experience for us all here which makes this even more enjoyable for all of us co-ops. It's nice to see our supervisors put as much trust as they do in us and really do allow us to get into doing some of the really interesting work that other co-op students might not get to experience at other sites.

Overall this seems to be a great environment and am really glad that I actually am super excited to come into work every morning because of the great atmosphere! It is going to be a fun and productive 6 months!

-Ashley

The First Week

I already sort of answered the first question when Todd asked me earlier in the week at the membership meeting, “What has been the biggest surprise?” I told him how the atmosphere isn’t overly businesslike, to which I received a round of laughs and comments saying how I would find out soon how businesslike the atmosphere can get. I tried to clarify what I meant, but just kept digging the hole I was in even deeper.

But after that meeting, Todd came up to me and asked what I meant about businesslike. I told him I meant more that he wouldn’t be riding everyone to get their work done and create stress. He told me that even though it’s fun and lighthearted a good amount of the time, there are times when you have to be on top of some people to get the best work. The key to a successful and fun office, Todd said, is knowing when you need to get on someone’s case and when it’s time to back off and let them do their thing.

That has been my biggest surprise here. How in tune everyone in the office is with each other and how each person knows how to work extremely well with everyone else. The office runs smoothly even when it is stressful because there is such a great team at SHM filled with people who not only work with you, but want to know you and help you in any way they can.

In the next six months I hope to learn how to be a contributing part of this great team, and gain the knowledge and experience to work that way in any job I have in the future. I hope to learn everything I can about marketing and SHM, but more importantly, I want to learn how to generate an amazing businesslike work atmosphere like the one here at SHM. I’m excited to be here and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

My First Week

After attending the lunches we had prior to our first day of work I became extremely excited to start at SHM. I really appreciated how everyone was so friendly and welcoming. It was evident to me that everyone was eager to help us make this a beneficial learning experience. 

So far I think my first week has been going pretty well. I haven't encounter many problems yet because we have been becoming familiar with all the programs and projects that we will be working on during our time here. I think what has surprised me the most is the amount of responsibility I will be given. I can see that I will get to be involved in the projects going on as well as create projects of my own. I really appreciate SHM giving me this opportunity to take on these responsibilities because I will be able to have a hands on experience. I was also surprised by the amount of trust that everyone has in us. The fact that we are able to become so involved makes me a little nervous, but I am eager to get started and learn. (I was also pleasantly surprised by the amount of free food that we get!)

In the next six months I hope to gain a lot of insight and knowledge from the people I will be working with and the projects I will be working on. I have already begun to gain a lot of insight from my supervisors during our Personal 101's that we have daily. I want to enhance my marketing skills while I am here and apply the concepts that I have learned in classes. Because I am also a Finance major, I hope to incorporate that into my experience here as well.

I am so excited to get started and I think that I will have an amazing experience here at SHM!! It's a really great feeling to get up in the morning and be excited to go to work.

First Week !

I was not surprised by one thing in the office this first week. BUT many things that make me feel amazed about the SHM folks. To me, it is so amazing to know:

-Bob is a great bicyclist

-Ashley was an athlete in college

-Todd hates eggs

-Debra listens to Snoop Dog (haha) and her husband is a musician

-Jade is known as the funniest girl around and she grew up in Singapore

-Meredith is obsessed with Glee

- Dee Dee run a childcare center at home

-Elaine doesn’t like the Café-teria

-Kim is a gig

-Taylor lives a block away and will come to feed DD in the long weekend

- etc.

I know that the list will go longer and thicker in the next 6 month. That is also what I hope to achieve besides getting valuable and handy experiences (which I’m sure I will) when I’m here. I feel amazed how the whole office know well about each other and share things in life, which makes me want to share a lot about me with them as well. Happy to be part of this family J  

-Thu

Welcome Everyone!!

Hi Adam!
Hi Ashley!
Hi Greg!
Hi Jackie!
Hi Thu!

Welcome to SHM, and Collective Reality - what is bound to be your favorite blog for the next six months.

For your first post - answer the following questions:

What surprised you during your first week (or two weeks, Adam) here at SHM?
What do you hope to learn in the next six months?