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

What coding school did you enroll in? - typetypetypeaway

Posted: Dec 10, 2010

I received a response from my previous post about coding. Can any of you post what schools you were enrolled in, now or in the past. There are so many out there. I thought I would be able to get a few from you, so I could their their respective websites. Also, did most of you enroll for online education or go onsite to school. Thanks.

Coding school - Steph

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And- what would be really great is to know if any of the graduates took the cert. test and passed! (:

I know several graduates who have passed both the CCS and CPC - from Andrews

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I think it's almost expected, but not required, at Andrews that you'll want to take at least one of the certification exams. I know several that have passed either or both exams.

From Andrews - several?

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Several. That's more than we usually hear of on here that are actually known! Of those several that you know, do they have jobs as coders now? Thanks!

Yes, but . . . - sm

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Their grads don't post here because this is an MT website. Coders don't usually enjoy online discussions as much as MTs do, unless they were MTs first. They don't type or write as well.

It's difficult for any school to keep up with what the grads do, but there have been announcements of more than several credentialed grads. Yes, they get jobs. Some report that they are working about halfway through the program and others report receiving promotions fairly soon.

Oh, I thought - you said

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that you knew several. I didn't want them to post. I thought you said you knew several graduates and so maybe knew more about them, like if they got work soon after, etc.

Knowing - sm

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I don't think anyone believes their grads are being untruthful about this. Only the school actually "knows" them, though. It is a distance school, after all.

No, no - I misunderstood

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I thought the poster said she knew several grads from Andrews and I thought she meant she knew them as acquaintances and therefore could expand on their success out there. So I got excited about that hoping we could hear more.

I'm a grad - Successful

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I'm an Andrews grad. I found a job in coding right away and passed both the CPC and CCS right after that. I'm still working.

They cover the material you need. Their instructors are good and they care about what they do.

Like anything, your success is up to you. They can't make you a success. All they can do is provide what you need.

Andrews Grad - Andrews Grad

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I graduated from Andrews and passed both the CCS and CPC certification exams before I started working. I sent out several resumes and didn't pay any attention to whether the ad said "experience preferred". A couple I didn't hear back on but did have four interviews. Out of those four I was offered a fabulous job coding inpatient charts less than one month after graduation. Two of the other companies called me about a month later to offer me a position.

On my first day as an inpatient coder after being shown around the office and given a brief overview of 3M the manager took me into the chart room (they were using paper records) and handed me a stack of charts. He then said "These charts are all over $150,000 and need to get coded today. I'm sorry but I have to go to a meeting I can't get out of but I'll be back as soon as I can." With the skills I had learned I was able to code these charts and my coworkers didn't have any idea that I had just graduated from coding school.

Without the education I received from Andrews I wouldn't have been able pass my certification exams or take care of these high dollar charts. Andrews didn't teach anything with an encoder but that didn't slow me down at all. Our facility uses 3M and it's very easy to pick up. The most important thing is to know how to use the code books because sometimes you will need to verify the encoder information.

The facility switched to electronic records about four months after I was hired. I started working at home nine months later and have been there ever since. I'm still coding inpatient charts and I also manage a Retrospective Query program and work with a team to educate physicians on proper documentation.

My advice to anyone considering a coding career would be to do your research and make sure you are being taught what you need to be a successful coder. Some important questions would be Do the graduates become certified? and Will I have access to instructors when I have questions? At Andrews you are taught what you need to know to pass the certification exams and be successful but it's up to the student to apply that knowledge. It is very rare to find a coding position without having at least one credential because employers don't have time to babysit new coders. They need someone that can walk in and start coding with a minimum amount of guidance.

Support after - Graduation

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That's a great story! Sounds like the school really fit you! I have some more questions. Did the course provide what you needed or did you have to take a review course or anything before the exams? What about help with the job search? A lot of schools say they do that. Was it just a list of jobs or did they do more than that? Have they helped you since then if you needed advice your job? I guess I'm looking for how much support they give their grads.

I have a question too - MTLC

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I too love your story. Do you recall how much time you spent on average studying? Is 3 hours a day 5 days a week reasonable? Thanks.

Also you should tell - everyone that

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You also went on to be an instructor at Andrews School and are still there today!

Even if she is, so what? You asked to hear about a successful grad. - Looks successful to me

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Wouldn't you rather have a successfully working instructor than no instructor at all? Or one of those people who can't code so they teach instead? Or to be taught by online video clips of someone who never coded but writes textbooks?

That's even more impressive! - sm

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You've done really well. I particularly like "I graduated from Andrews and passed both the CCS and CPC certification exams before I started working."

and "A couple I didn't hear back on but did have four interviews. Out of those four I was offered a fabulous job coding inpatient charts less than one month after graduation. Two of the other companies called me about a month later to offer me a position."

To be asked to teach is icing on the cake.

doesn't this tell you something? - sm

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If she is teaching there, she has a vested interest in recruiting students, don't ya think???? Come on people, do your research and make your own decisions. If you seek advice, try to make sure it is unbiased! Please be aware that this board is heavily weighted towards Andrews since we have instructors of theirs come on here and post. There are other schools out there that also do an excellent job of educating their students and will do it for far less money. I even know a couple of coders personally who didn't even go for formal education, self taught using the right references and study guides, passed CCS exam on first try, and are out working, successfully. My point is that you have to consider the source when soliciting advice.

RE: Coding.... - discouraged

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I recently graduated from a Medical Billing/Coding, Office Admin. program in September. They are supposed to assist in employment, yet I have not received any phone calls except 1, but they want an MA/Office Assistant. I've even offered to do my own Internship at no cost to them, but I still get "no". I'm feeling like I'm really losing out on what could be a nice career. I'm in my early 50's & of course I'm not as fast as I used to be. I was sent on an Exgternship in the final 5 weeks of my schooling, but was sent to an Urgent Care that had me doing Collections and a couple other things here and there. I feel like I wasted my time, and there are at least 4, including myself, who should be working by now. Those who graduated after we did are employed. Of course they're all younger..... so I'm very upset and discouraged.

note to "discouraged" - Raine59

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Are you looking for a coding position or are you more interested in billing or medical office work? If it's coding, you really need a credential, such as the CPC or CCS. It will be really hard to get a coding job without it. Have you taken or considered taking one of these exams?

It tells me they know their stuff and people from other schools are welcome to do the same - Always Learning

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I would love it if instructors from other schools would come in and participate too, so we can get to know them. There are always questions on here that they could discuss with us. We need more participation from the experts.

Maybe everybody could invite their instructors here to participate - sm

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I think it would be great if all of the other instructors would be willing to come here and support and encourage coders and the coding profession. It would be a way they could give back to the profession. It's a little bit like mentoring. I like it!

how naive - sm

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so you assume because she is an instructor that she is an expert,that she "knows her stuff." There are some flaws in that thinking. Have you never had a bad teacher? often the "experts" can't teach at all because they just don't have that skill. second, all it means is that the school needed a person to fill a void! don't assume that makes her the expert or that she really knows her stuff. for all you know, she could be teaching all wrong or leaving out a lot of important aspects of coding. I know two coders at a small local hospital who didn't even know what the official coding guidelines are and were amazed when I gave them copies. They went to school too. wonder if they thought their instructors really knew their stuff!!

Doesn't this tell you something? - Anonymous

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Yes it does and I have shared your thoughts for quite some time.

Other schools are - Here.

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Other schools are here. You just don't recognize them unless you have been around for years. Some of them use the same ploys they used with their MT programs. One used to offer discounts to students for posting things like "Hey! Look at this great school I found! What do you think?" Even a post from an apparent prospective student who needs info will enable a school to begin talking about itself.

I think the idea was for instructors of other schools to join and participate in discussions - I hope they will

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It really would be great if other schools would contribute in coding discussions. That just doesn't happen. Sometimes we have serious discussions here and it helps to have experts with credentials participate. Some of the schools don't have instructors with experience or expertise, but some do, and I wish they would come here and be here with us as part of this group.

Just Sayin - Here

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Let me sum up this thread for you. Above someone said "I know several graduates who have passed both the CCS and CPC - from Andrews." Someone then asked this poster about the several since the poster said she knew them and asked about them working. Then there was a "yes, but" answer that didn't really quite answer. So, it seems an Andrews grad was needed to pop in. The Andrews grad popped in, very successful, good to hear that grad passed both her CCS and CPC and also was employed at a "fabulous job." This successful Andrews grad is also an instructor at Andrews. See the flow?

See the flow? - Anonymous

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Yes I do, we've been down this road several times in the past with Andrews instructors and students coming on the forum and promoting their school. If I didn't know better (info from former students) I'd think it was absolutely perfect and that no student in their program ever struggled, failed a certification exam or couldn't land their dream job fresh out of school. I've pointed out a possible conflict of interest in the past but of course was told that I was wrong, now there are 2 of us who see it. I do totally understand what you are saying, even if no one else wants to admit it.

Instructor participation from other schools - Anonymous

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They might be intimidated by the overwhelming pro-Andrews propaganda, just my opinion.

I disagree. I've seen people from other schools saying good things about their schools too - See message

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Anyone who is proud of the school they are attending or graduated from should be free to do so. It has more weight if they have been successful and were actually able to obtain credentials through AHIMA or AAPC and/or got and kept a good job. I've seen people on this board from several schools in the past, as it should be. I wish more discussions of schools would be available here, not less. In particular, I would love to see more discussions of people who are able to pass credentials testing, because that's the real proof of results. Unfortunately, most schools do not teach to that level, but a few do, and we should hear more, not less, about those who do. As with anything though, if any school does well, people will take potshots at it. Instead of that, let's hear more from not only the school that always gets bashed on here but also about other schools who are also doing well. If you attended a school and were able to get your credentials, tell us about it rather than putting down another school that is doing well. Tell us why your school is doing well so we can all celebrate your success with you too. I hope we can keep it positive so that people that have been posting about their schools can keep doing it and others from schools that haven't been mentioned can join in too. Don't worry about posting something good about your school, whatever school it is. If someone pounces on you or insults your school, just ignore it. Just know that there are many of us who are reading and not pouncing or attacking, but listening to what you are saying.

Experience or expertise - Anonymous

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I thought experience and expertise were the same thing. My school has a coding forum where the coding lessons and specific student questions are addressed, the instructors participate in that. I've been reading this board for a long time. I'm an MT and found myself here when I became a student. I don't recall many serious coding discussions. However, it would be nice to have coding scenarios presented for people to work through and solve or to have students address things they've encountered in their course work that have been problematic or share new things they have learned. Instead of that, the talk always seems to center around the Andrews School.

Experience and expertise are definitely not the same thing - See message

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There are coders that have been very poor coders for years and always will be. There are newer coders that have proven by their credentials that they do have expertise. There is a huge difference between experience and expertise.

You should tell - Skater

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Hey! It is great that a graduate went on to be an instructor! Great instructors make the learning process with coding a lot easier, and not left to pull your hair out or teach yourself to code.

I wish I could redo one of my training experiences in coding, but since I cannot change what is past, I am HAPPY to state that I am a student at the Andrews School of Medical Coding!!!! Don't knock things until you have tried, and this has been a nicer experience than the last!!!!

Skater

School? - But you did say you

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knew them in the first msg. Were the announcements at a school you mean? Are you with a school?

Yes, but we do type and write...... - Anon II

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I disagree with your comment. I am an RHIT who is going through the Andrews Coding school to sharpen my abilities, and enjoy posting on this website.

It is interesting to see the different opinions and view points from everyone, as well as questions concerning coding.
Try not to be to judgmental on Andrews students and grads, I think they do have a superior program based on what is out there. I also say that having been through a 2 yr program in which most of my training was in management, and at this point that is not a headache that I am interested in being a part of.

By the way sm, what experience do you have? I have been coding for several years now and realize that there are different ways of obtaining good training and being able to get a coding job. As one recruiter told me, a lot of this is luck and timing and could take awhile for someone to find a position. You have to find someone who is willing to take on a new graduate and train them.

I'm at Andrews and.... - Raine59

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almost finished. I will probably be taking the CPC and/or the CCS in February or so. I'll let everyone know what happens.

Andrews- Raine59 - Steph

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Thanks for keeping us up to date on your schooling, etc. I assume you like Andrews? Would love to know if their course prepared you for CPC and/or CCS !

More.... - Raine59

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I think it's a good program. I have some complaints but overall I think I'm getting good preparation.

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