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Best coding course besides Andrews? - Wondering

Posted: Apr 09, 2015

Hello all. I am not a troll and am truly wondering if there is a coding course that is more economic than Andrews but still TEACHES you to code? I am an MT but have no experience with coding. Please help! Thanks so much.

I took a classroom AAPC course - sm - MT2coder

[ In Reply To ..]
I didn't want to learn on-line; knew that wasn't for me. I found a highly credentialed woman who taught a course (so many hours classroom and so many hours studying on your own). I LOVED IT. I found her by researching through AAPC and she was local so I got lucky. When the course was over, we took the CPC exam and I passed. It took me a little time as I wasn't 100% pursuing a coding job but I secured a coding job and I actually do inpatient coding. They took a little time to guide me on the job, which they would have had to do with anyone, and I now am a coder full-time after being a transcriptionist for over 30 years. It was a nice transition for me and I am not sorry I made it.

Perseverence and don't be afraid to look for unique ways of getting credentialed, like I did. People will say you need your CCS and likely that helps a lot but I am one who did not and got in the door with my CPC, even for inpatient coding.

Good luck!

How much did it cost to have her teach you? - MT weighing options

[ In Reply To ..]
How many hours a week was the course?

Any details you think would be helpful would be appreciated. We have a lot of coder jobs near where I live plus an AAPC Chapter.

AAPC is a valuable resource if there is a chapter - sm - MT2coder

[ In Reply To ..]
I believe my course was once a week at 4+ hours a night then all the homework took hours as well. I think my teacher saw a niche by classroom teaching and she always has classes going. I think it was $1700 and that included the classroom and books and the exam costs. The course lasted at least 4 months and she even had an extra class to be sure we were prepared for the test. I had to travel an hour to the class but it was worth it for me.

I got signed up at the class for my local chapter and I went to those meetings and they really try to help you secure a job.

Santa Barbara City College - Online Course

[ In Reply To ..]
I worked full time and took the courses part time so it took me three years but was able to fit it in since it was online.

Depends on what you want to do, and for what you get - Andrews is NOT even close

[ In Reply To ..]
to being the most expensive.

If all you want is a CPC, take the AAPC course. There are people who get jobs with it, and there are people who don't. The unemployment rate for new CPCs was 25% a few years ago, but now seems to be down to about 1 in 10.

Is the AAPC course a how to course? - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
My understanding is the AAPC course is just getting you ready for the exam, an exam prep course. Do they actually teach you to code properly? Thanks!

On the AAPC website it should state a local chapter and classes offered. - see msg

[ In Reply To ..]
Where I live it's an 80-hour course. I think they break it down into 1 day a week for 16 weeks, but that's just classroom time and doesn't include studying on your own.

I'm currently an online AAPC student for the CPC. I think with books it all came to under $2000.

There is no local chapter in my state - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
that I can find. Does the online course teach you how to code or is it just an exam prep? Thanks!

There are more than 500 chapters. - What state????

[ In Reply To ..]
Nm

Was looking in the wrong place. - OP

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Thanks!

That is incorrect ... It is not just an exam prep course. - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
The AAPC courses are not just exam prep. They do teach how to code. However, they do so in a somewhat minimal fashion. Not much more is required for outpatient coding. It does not require the extensive set of inpatient guidelines, for example.

You are not going to get a solid background from them, since they do not teach A&P, pathophysiology, pharmacology, reimbursement, etc. That is why they do not qualify for the AHIMA exams.

(Please don't come back and claim that the tiny amount of med terms included in those courses is the equivalent of actual courses in AP, pathophysiology, etc. It absolutely is not. For that matter, please don't claim that you already know it all from MT. You absolutely don't.)

local college - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
The way I'm going to do it probably isn't cheaper, but I have no money, so I needed a loan now that I can pay back later. So I'm going to take the health information tech program through my local college, get my RHIT certification. I can use that certification to go work at my local hospital; they have a coder trainee position. After 6 months of that, I can then start working as an inpatient coder at the same hospital.

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