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

Career Step Coding graduates..... - wouldliketoknow

Posted: Mar 01, 2011

1. How long did it take you to complete the course?

2. Were you able to pass the certification exam?

3. Are you working as a coder?

4. Overall opinion on the career step coding course?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

Coder - MT too long

[ In Reply To ..]
I would be interested as well. I have been thinking of going back to school, but I have read coding is going overseas.

Just a thought - sm

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I've had the same feelings about just about everything. I'm afraid to travel because I've 'heard' that people kidnap and murder people when they stop at gas stations on the road. Seriously, that was a fear of mine. I am afraid to eat produce because people have died from produce that was contaminated. I'm afraid to do many other things, but as a family member put it, "You can't live your life in fear."

There aren't any jobs anymore that aren't at risk of one thing or another. I don't think the vast majority of coding is going to go overseas. If it does, we have bigger problems than jobs. Some work goes there and comes back again. I don't do business with companies that outsource overseas if I can help it, but I refuse to allow the fear to keep me paralyzed from doing anything I want to do.

We Americans have always been known for our courage. "They" would love to see us cower and whimper and give up all that God has blessed us with, but that's not the American way. It's certainly not my way. Just my thoughts.

We MTs never thought a "vast majority" of MT would - be going overseas, either, but it did.

[ In Reply To ..]
I wonder if in another decade there will even be any middle-income jobs left in America. More likely, it'll only be two kinds: CEOs of big corporations, or day-laborers. Everyone else will have probably left the country. Or died of starvation.

Good point, but I would disagree about the "vast majority" part of it - Otherwise agree with you

[ In Reply To ..]
We aren't really at the "vast majority" of MT overseas point because there have been so many problems resulting from sending things overseas that much of it has come back. Some are having contracts written with MTSOs to forbid them from sending their work overseas. So while it was a big hit in the gut to our industry, there are still jobs and more coming back every day. It will never be exactly the way it was 10 years ago, but it is morphing into a different form which is yet to be determined.

On the other hand, I believe the country in general is drifting into a land where intelligent, creative people can't find the jobs they have studied long and hard to prepare to do. Is part of it because we got a bit spoiled for a few years and people elsewhere who were "hungrier" than we were took our jobs right from under our noses? That might be a small part of it. A big part of it is the fact that greedy businesses went where they could get work done dirt cheap, so they can make money hand over fist. That situation is changing though and has already changed. I don't think they are keeping our part of those jobs, because of all the problems dealing with this kind of information, personal and health, in societies where we have no control or protection. That personal health and financial information can be abused overseas with no legal consequences. That doesn't work for long. Other jobs are gone forever though.

OS is doing work, sending to client, no input from US. VR - will get there, too. MT jobs are GONE forever. nm

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x

"Traditional" MT is gone in part, but - see message

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I know some MTs who are doing very well. They just keep continuing to do well. Some, but not all, of them do a lot of editing and their job could be described as Medical Transcription Editor. MTs who have always done a great job of editing their own work are perfectly suited for editing of speech recognition and now we're seeing the same thing with the electronic medical record (EMR) where they are editing that as well. It takes better skills than many MTs have and some people that I know have lost their jobs or decided that they don't enjoy editing. I also know quite a few MTs who are still doing traditional MT with no speech recognition at all involved.

I don't think it's ever going to be an all-or-nothing situation. Some MT is always going to be with us. It will be different, perhaps, with more editing, but still here in some form for those who have the skills.

I AM an editor and 90% of my work, is now going from OS - right to client, bypassing me. nm

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x

Who or what is OS? Is that an MTSO? - not familiar with them

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Just curious about what or who OS is. Is it an MTSO? Where are they from? That's one I'm' not familiar with.

I don't know what OS is, but I don't think it's an MTSO - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Dont visit the other forums here, huh? OS = - offshore, where our jobs are going. nm

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x

OS = overseas - nm

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x

Thank you! - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

OS = "offshore" - nm

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If you work for any of the many large MTSOs, then YES, - more of their work goes to India than US. nm

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If you work for a large MTSO, then it's pretty much - a given that US MTs are the minority. nm

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X

Career Step - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
This post got way off topic, no one answered your question and got way off tangent about outsourcing.
1. I am a Career Step student nearing the end of my program. I work a 40-hour week and took about a year to finish, studying 2 hours every day, 7 days a week and that was difficult. Give yourself at least a year, perhaps longer depending on your schedule and your self discipline, you will be totally on your own.
2. I haven't taken the certification exam yet but that is my goal. My opinion is that you will need additional study after you finish the program.
3. Not working as a coder yet but looking.
4. Opinion: I wouldn't do it again.

Hope that helps.

Career Step Coding/Billing Program - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Glad someone finally answered the Career Step question. I am taking the CS billing/coding program, and even though I work only part time outside the home, I can not get up any speed and often get bogged down with the program. I have other responsibilities to take care of, as well as being a part time MT also. I can't spend even 1 hour per day on it. I've been working on it for almost 16 months and don't know when I will ever finish. I've barely scratched the surface and haven't even gotten in to the coding/billing portion of it yet.

It is a very good, thorough program if you have lots of time to commit to it. The modules are very long with many pages to go through. I have purchased one extension and it's about time to purchase another. I keep debating on whether to continue on or not.

Thanks for posting your opinions and good luck.

Career Step - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
For me, I think the biggest issue was working full-time and studying too. I have one 8-month extension included in the cost of my program. Right now I am using textbooks to study because the on line format became rather tedious. I feel that I learned the basics quite well but it really comes down to knowing the rules and guidelines and doing coding practice. I am trying to get hired where I work as an MT, it is not necessary to have your certification in the beginning although eventually I'd like to obtain it. I wouldn't let outsourcing influence your decision, though; my opinion is that it's being exaggerated. Some very large facilities are doing it but there are other employment opportunities for coders and billers. Good luck to you also whatever you decide.

another reply - lattefactor

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi. I'm in the CS program too and have been for a lot longer than I originally wanted but that's mostly because I enrolled right before I had a 3rd baby and she was not a go-with-the-flow kind of baby -- and she still isn't ;) Anyway, I am just getting ready to do my 3rd 3-month extension for $50, but I hope to be done within 3 months. I am nearing the end. It has been really hard working FT and just having kids and keeping up the house.

You have to be really disciplined. Some of the sections are just really hard to get into but any time you are doing the actual coding and diving into the books, that seems to pique my interest (which is good!) I have found the contact people very helpful as far as questions. They will respond by e-mail or call you back if the answers/explanations are lengthy. In the program I'm in, they will get your name out there and the program for potential employers.

I would not recommend the Career Step program to anyone who doesn't already have a medical background. I think good, solid MTs would do fine and any MA or RN. However, if starting from total scratch, I think that would be tremendously hard!! The forums are helpful.

I just ordered my AAPC study guide and online practice exams so I am nearing the end. I just find it really hard to get much in each day with all the other things I have going on. I'd love to have been done yesterday but I continue to plug away... (it's taken me about a year and a half-plus) from when I was able to get started, not from when I ordered it.

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