A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

New Coding Student - Confused!! - FutureCoder

Posted: May 30, 2015

I just started medical coding school. I'm just feeling like this is so much information to know, how am I going to remember all of this and be accurate? I REALLY want this as a career & dont want to fail. Do most coding students feel this way? Does it take some time for things to "click"? I'm just feeling overwhelmed and it's concerning. I hope I'm just overthinking this. Any reassurance would really be helpful.

Yes! I think - I said

[ In Reply To ..]
those exact same words. It can feel very overwhelming. Just keep going. In the end you will have what you need. No, you won't absolutely "know" it all, but you are now laying a strong foundation and will build on this throughout your career.

YES! - AnotherFutureCoder

[ In Reply To ..]
I just received my books yesterday!! I'm so incredibly excited but wow...just looking through these books I briefly wondered what I had gotten myself into. Do you remember when you first started out as an MT? I was trained in-house and remember thinking similar thoughts...what have I gotten myself into?! I think it will be challenging but, just like MT, completely doable with the right mindset and perseverance. YOU CAN TOTALLY DO THIS!! All the best to you!

Oh, yes! That is perfectly normal! - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
Not to worry! It looks far worse than it is.

Most courses that you have had before sneak up on you. They begin with simple concepts and build on them, so there is no initial shock. It is all quite pleasant.

Coding is a little different in that it has to start off giving you enough information to actually use the code book. Otherwise, you would have trouble using it and wouldn't be able to do any of the next chapters.

Consequently, it starts off with a lot of really miserable info about indentations in columns, the meaning of things like parentheses, excludes notes, and "main terms." None of it makes sense, if you ask me.

However, that is not Coding. It is just how the book works. It is just stuff you will use as time goes on.

I should also point out that much of that is written right in your code book. Which you will have on certification exams. Become familiar with finding it.

I was appalled by the books, too. I was also nearly unable to answer most of the early questions. The book we used had a list of diagnoses. You were supposed to underline the main term. I got every one wrong. Again and again. To this day, I get them wrong.

My advice is to move ahead and not worry. After you complete 4 or 5 chapters of coding, go back to the beginning. It will make a lot more sense.

New Coding Student - Confused!! - FutureCoder

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you! I do feel a little better about doing this. I know it's still not going to be easy but knowing I'm not the only one feeling this way while in school really helps my confidence.

It should make you feel a lot better. It is pointless to - focus on it.

[ In Reply To ..]
You know, you can't expect to know something before you know it, hmm?

Just get over the idea that you should not feel that you don't know everything right away. Stop worrying about it because there is no cause for concern.

I felt that way for two years after I started working. I was certified, too. One day, it suddenly dawned on me that everything had fallen into place.

Many coders report the same thing.

Seriously, all you are learning right now is how to use the code book. In a month, you will be wondering what the big deal was.

You do not have to memorize all the codes and everything, either. I HAVE seen student coders who went nuts trying to do that. It is not necessary. It is not necessary to know which groups of diseases begin with what letter, or how many types of whatever there are, or what a digit of 6 means, or any of that nonsense.

Just enjoy learning some stuff about medicine and how to look things up.

CONFUSED - New Andrews Student

[ In Reply To ..]
I know how you feel. I felt the same way. I felt really stupid for a while. In the beginning the way Andrews teaches is that you have a Medical Language and Anatomy and Physiology book and a coding book. The terminology and A and P terms are many!!! I was trying to memorize every term, and I was told that is not necessary. So, I just do the chapter review and take the quick quiz at the end of each chapter. I have been an MT for over 25 years, so I have basic knowledge of terminology and A and P, but certainly not the extent that is presented in these books. Learn you prefixes and suffixes! There are still many terms I do not know, but I believe that will all click as time goes on. I find the coding to be easy so far. Everything you need to know about coding is in Coding book. You just have to learn how to look everything up.

I, too, am still very anxious about all of this, but I just do my assignments as they are assigned. Andrews School has a method to their madness and I have confidence that all will "CLICK" eventually. I still have many books that I have not been opened yet and that scares me a bit that there is so much to learn.

Stick with it, you are not alone.

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