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

Choices of schools for coding - Retired MTer

Posted: Jan 10, 2012

I am trying to sort through the different options out there for education in coding - is there an online school that most of you would recommend? I am officially out of MT'ing after 20 years, threw up my hands, literally, gave up trying to make a living at it. I would probably use up half of my savings for schooling, but after many months of trying on different "hats", so to speak, in the work force, my heart is pulling me back to the medical field. Opinions??? Thanks!

Hi RetiredMTer - Poppy

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The best thing I can recommend is to read through the past several months of threads here on this board. You'll find posts on all sorts of relevant topics, all helpful when you're sorting things out. When you have specific questions, there are some people here who have expertise and patience in answering us. This really is a great coding board with some very nice people who frequent it.

I just enrolled! - Retired MTer

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Thanks, I'll we checking out past posts. I found the "one and only" course nearest me and just paid my enrollment fee (not books yet), and start on 1/24! I am so excited! I have the prerequisites for terminology, just have to take a course in Business Apps, Word, Excel, etc. Yippee!

no work for entry level coding - medtranusa

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Good luck with that. I just finished in December, studying for RHIT but not finding any entry level jobs or even work in HIM at all because of the electronic record. Also insurance companies are sending coding to India where they are training and ready for ICD-10. Sound familiar??

Ok, Debbie Downer - sm

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I just graduated with AA in HIT and got my RHIT certification a few months ago. I applied at so many places and received three offers. I did not have coding experience, just my RHIT certification, which is what the hospital wanted. There are jobs out there for coders.

depends on your location - medtranusa

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I think it depends on where you live. I see jobs on national level but not in my local area and have been applying everywhere. And yes they are offshoring work too.

I wish I could relocate.

I am 3 semesters away from my RHIT - Jo - prior MT

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That is very encouraging, by having the RHIT and being able to get a job coding, which is what I want to do after 20 years of MT work, and making less money than when I started 20 years ago. I work at a hospital in Dallas now as a records clerk and love it, but can't wait to get my hands on my RHIT and code and work back at home

RHIT and Coding - RHIA CCS

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It is not clear that she got the RHIT. As you know, completing a college HIT course does not give you the RHIT. You still have to pass the registry exam. Many HIT grads never take it and manyof those who do fail. It also is not a coding exam. It shows only entry level coding skills.

You are fortunate to have a job in a medical records area already. You can probably move into a coding job from there. Ms Downer is not in that position and appears to not have the RHIT. It appears that people here feel that getting a CCS would help in getting a job. That would definitely make you much mre interesting to an employer. It did for me.

What credentials do you have? - sm

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I understand that the RHIT doesn't really help much as far as job placement. They don't have enough coding in it for you to actually pass the CCS exam or actually code on the job. If you have your CCS, there are jobs, even entry-level jobs for new graduates.

If she had an RHIA, though, she could apply for HIM mgmt positions but those are rare - MT Coder

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The RHIT won't help much, if at all, but an RHIA should, as long as you have the CCS. If you have the CCS, you don't really need the RHIA unless you want to go into management, and those jobs are few and far between. If you have your CCS, you're golden.

She didn't say she had a CCS though - nm

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nm

Well, a CPC just isn't enough - nm

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nm

She didn't say she had her CPC either - Waiting For More Info

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I don't believe she said that she had any credentials at all. She said she was "working on" her RHIT, which doesn't have enough coding in it for her to get a job as a coder, but she might be able to get a job as a records tech or something similar and maybe study until she is able to pass a CCS exam.

job experience matters more than anything - Medtranusa

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I live in Tampa Bay Area and all the jobs are for supervisor or coding level 3, bachelor's degree preferred. They prefer credentials but what they want is experience.

Oh, hey! I live there! - sm

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Tampa Bay? I happen to live there and I'm VERY familiar with the job market. You must be restricting your search by an incredible degree, because very few facilities even call their jobs "coding level 3."

And BayCare does NOT own all the hospitals. That is so wrong it is ridiculous.

For those of you who do not live here, I'll just say that it is a HUGE job market with a rather impressive shortage of coders. We actually have difficulty finding coders because there is such a shortage.

How big is this market? It's big enough to require three AAPC chapters directly within the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater, with additional ones in communities just outside that area. The place is littered with hospitals and positively swarming with doctors. It's practically the main industry here.

"They prefer credentials but what they want is experience." Actually, they want both. But, you know, they aren't going to GET both, so you need to get out there and do what you need to do to get those credentials. If you stop using that as an excuse, you might find more success.

As for "bachelor's degree preferred," well, sure, wouldn't anyone prefer it? But, you know, a bachelor's degree means an RHIA. For supervisor, maybe, but I do not know anyone who would pass up a CCS because that CCS didn't have a bachelor's degree. RHIAs are RARE here because there was no nearby college offering it.

I can say for certain that the two largest employers in the Tampa Bay area do not require or even prefer a bachelor's, and only about 1 in 10 of their coders has it. If they have a college education at all, they have EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE and probably got it from the same college.

Soooo, your entire belief system about the coding market seems to be a bit off.

You are, in fact, VERY well-positioned to get a job here. Or you would be if you'd make the effort. Get that RHIT, then get the CPC, and then start working on the CCS.

You might do well to lose the Debby Downer attitude. No matter what education and credentials you have, nobody is going to want to even talk to you until you do.

I have a friend who is a coder in your area and the credentials worked for her - Got Credentials?

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Seriously, the credentials are all she had and that was all she needed. Now she has both experience and credentials. It's like that other old commercial for a credit card, "Don't leave the house with out it!" Well, Don't try to get a job as a coder without coding credentials, particularly the CCS, but hopefully even more than that. They matter.

Did you check beforehand to see if graduates of your school are - Able To Pass CCS Credentials Tests?

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Did you ask before you enrolled if graduates of the school you were enrolling in are able to pass the CCS exam and are thus even able to get a job? There used to be jobs for CPCs, but everything is going to the CCS, even better if you have both.

The time to find out about these things is before you enroll, not after you finish and you've wasted all your time.

Exactly. Find out before you enroll, but it's too late for that now - sm

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You need to find out before you spend time and money on a coding course, not after when it's too late. Find out if the graduates can pass the CCS exam or not. If not, you're just not going to be very likely to get a job.

I blame it on my zip code - medtranusa

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I graduated from college that used to get you a job but not lately. The hospitals in my area with BayCare running most of them, prefer AHIMA credentials or CCS. You might get an office job for pennies but the hospitals are all locked down. I'm pretty depressed about the whole mess.

Could you pass the CCS? Have you considered that? - nm

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Is there some reason why you haven't taken the CCS exam if that's the case?

CCS vs. RHIT - medtranusa

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After reading some of the helpful replies I started studying for it. I might take some brush-up classes through AHIMA. The college I went to just gave us the assignments (online)and then didn't answer questions or offer any guidance.

How about that new lab some schools use with AHIMA's new virtual lab where you actually use the software tools that you may use with a future employer? That's the ticket. Oh well live and learn, and practice, practice, practice. Thanks to the nice people on here that didn't want to slice me up for being such a fool.

So are you saying that you got the CPC, but that wasn't enough or - I am confused

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Sorry, but I'm a little confused. Are you saying that you have a CPC, but the hospitals around you prefer the CCS, the AHIMA credential, or were you working on a degree program but you don't have credentials, either CPC or CCS? That's a long question. Now I probably have you confused too.

Yes, I'm a mess - medtranusa

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I've had too much garbage going on in my life, actually wishing I'm dead some days so that's why I'm confused. It all clouds the brain, which I don't need when it comes to studying.

I've had days like that, but let us help you through it - nm

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nm

medtranusa - Rottie Mom

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You say you graduated from a college? WHAT college?

St Petersburg College, apparently - Judging from info in posts

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It is online and nearly instructorless.

You have no idea what you are talking about. - sm

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You have no idea what you are talking about. I think you just make this up as you go.

Now you're saying that the hospitals "prefer AHIMA credentials or CCS."

The CCS *is* an AHIMA credential. So's the RHIT that you say you studied for. What I'm wondering is how someone can complete an RHIT program and still be unaware that the RHIT and CCS are AHIMA credentials.

I'm also wondering how you can justify completing a program like that, taking exactly what you need to GET those credentials, and just not bothering to take the exams. Why? So you can have more opportunity to moan about your misfortunes?

You aren't the victim of your zip code or of BayCare--you're victimizing yourself. You're reaping the harvest of what YOU sowed. If you don't plant anything, there is nothing to grow. If you want to change that harvest, then go cultivate some credentials.

Thanks for being so nice! - medtranusa

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I'm in the process of studying for both credentials right now. I know those are AHIMA creditials.

Thanks for being so kind and don't forget to take your hormones.

I'm still saying most prefer experience. BayCare changed who they hire in the past few years and raised the bar. They used to hire students right out of the college, no credentials. Things change and I'm working on it.

You've posted this misinformation before - Credentialed and Employed

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You posted this misinformation before. At that time, we advised you of the correct information, but you seem to have ignored it. That makes me wonder if you are deliberately posting these errors in order to mislead others.

You are also very, very vague about what exactly your education consisted of and what your credentials are. Every time you post, you seem to change your story.

Personally, I think you are an Indian who is trying to stir up controversy here and/or steer Americans away from this field, perhaps hoping that you can get some of it.

The only other thing I can think is that you have an illness that causes you to have difficulty perceiving reality. It is very clear that you say things that are untrue, but you appear to believe them.

So that others are not misled further, I am going to correct this again. I am also going to be very direct with you and point out what I see that would keep you from getting a job.

You said that "insurance companies are sending coding to India." This is blatantly incorrect. Insurance companies have no need to send coding to India or anywhere because INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT DO CODING.

We told you that insurers do not do the coding . . . health care providers do the coding. Insurers have nothing to do with this. They can send their work to Mars and it won't have any effect on what any of us here do. We do not work for insurance companies--we work for healthcare providers. Most of us work for large facilities, too.

Something else we corrected was your statement that in India they are "training and ready for ICD-10." That is what makes me think you are Indian--you keep harping on this as if you are hoping someone will believe it. The correction: they are no more ready for ICD-10 than anyone else. So what if they're training? US coders are training as well. We have over 40 coders at my facility and they've all received training. We have several people who are already certified in ICD-10, too, so we're pretty sure we're on target and doing ok.

You keep presenting this as if you think the US has "a problem" with this. They don't. The US is not going to need India to bail them out because their plans are going along just fine.

If you're Indian, that's great and I wish you well, but your scare tactics aren't going to work here because I am going to watch for you and rebut everything you say.

If you truly are an unfortunate person who completed an RHIT program and can't find a job, I'll say this. You keep blaming outside factors for your inability to get a job. It's your zip code. It's the college. It's the RHIT program. It's the hospitals. You seem to blame everything except yourself.

I think that you might be a large part of the problem. You seem to be a morose, unhappy person. Employers don't like that. You also spew misinformation, like what I mentioned above. Employers don't like that, either. You keep saying the hospitals have the job market all locked up . . . well, probably they do, but it's because they don't see anything appealing about you. All you project is negativity.

If you finished that RHIT program, why didn't you take the certification exam? You also have had enough coding classes that you should be able to pass the CPC, if not the CCS. Why didn't you take those?

You keep saying there are no entry-level coding positions. Well, of course not. There are few entry-level positions in ANYTHING. That's what we keep telling everyone here . . . you have to better your abilities so that you don't have to find an entry-level coding job. WE KEEP SAYING THAT YOU HAVE TO GET A CCS CREDENTIAL. That's what you have to do to get a job in this market.

If you aren't willing to do that, then you frankly deserve not to have a job. That may sound mean, but it's realistic.

From what we can see, you have done very little. You've taken some classes and now moan that you can't find a job. Well, who could with that kind of inadequate preparation??? You need to study that material until you can get some credentials. If you can't do that, then please get some professional medical help.

When you post that drivel, people new to this forum don't realize that you are the only Eeyore here. The rest of us are all credentialed and employed, and WE do not see the things you claim are industry-wide trends. We are not stupid; the things you think you see just aren't there.

Too much time on your hands - medtranusa

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Yet another person who likes to get out their frustration on here. Maybe you need to work out or do something constructive. Excuse me if I don't follow all your little posts, but I'm busy.

??? - sm

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If you are too busy, then why are you following her posts?

medtranusa - Skeptic

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You, sir, are full of baloney sausage.

I hope "close to home" wasn't the selling point - sm

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That sure was fast! I wish you well, but I sure hope you checked more than just how far away the school was. You needed to have checked the school's pass rate on the CCS exam.

It's worrisome that the school teaches "Business Apps" as part of a coding course. Word, Excel, etc., are not tested on coding credentialing exams.

You need to be concerned with THE CODING they are teaching. If you are not, you're going to spend a lot of money and time on that course only to discover that you can't pass an exam at the end and can't find work.

I'm so glad you said that. - Not Wanting To Rain On OPs Parade

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I didn't want to rain on the OPs parade by saying it didn't sound like she made a very careful decision. To me this just sounds like the same mistake so many are making these days, jumping into the first course they see, for the wrong reasons---close to home? For goodness sakes!

In so many of the courses there seems to be lots of focus on prerequisites, lots of busy work, and not enough emphasis on the coding to be able to pass the CCS exam, which is what you need to be able to do.

Another Important Question To Ask Before You Enroll - What credentials do instructors have?

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Right up there on top for me would be the credentials of the instructors teaching the course. If the instructor doesn't have both a CCS and a CPC, how are they going to teach you what you need? That is a question that I would ask. It would be more important than how close to home the course is. It's possible that the original poster has already done that, but I hope she will come back and let us know that she didn't make her decision based on the school being close to home. That's just silly. More info please, OP.

My bet is that an aggressive recruiter salesman type got ahold of her - See message

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If I remember right, at first she was asking advice for the best school. She even specified online school. Before anyone had time to advise, she had enrolled in a local school because it was close to home. Alarms should be going off! That sounds like one of those aggressive salesmen schools have got hold of her and did a very good job on her. Recruiters can be very convincing, especially if they are selling courses that have student loans attached to them. I always run the moment a salesman starts talking about a 'special offer' or 'you need to sign up today because...(doesn't matter about the reason---I'm out of there), 'because you are special' 'we really like you so we'll cut you a deal' 'this is perfect for you, so I'm giving you a special offer' 'we'll throw in a computer' or gives me a reason that has nothing to do with my main goal (close to home)---has nothing to do with the quality of education that prepares one to pass the CCS exam and get a job. Run, OP, Run!

An instructor can't teach what they don't know - Please see message

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Any coder who is able to pass credentials tests is likely to do it. So if an instructor hasn't, chances are they can't, so exactly what is is that they will be teaching you?

I've been looking at dozens of the schools that are teaching coding but don't have qualified teachers.

Not sure I believe this is real - Doubting Thomas

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Somehow I felt from the original post that this was all a ploy to get attention. This person's story doesn't make a lot of sense and I regret having wasted my time and energy following this thread.

You may be right. It didn't make sense, did it? - nm

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nm

Hi, Newbie here finally posting a reply! - Retired MTer

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Wow, no really, WOW! I just enrolled in an adult community education class. It will cost me $400.00 tuition and around $600.00 in books, which includes all of my reference books okay. My local hospital always is posting openings for Medical Coders, so since I am out of work, I called the HR department and asked about local schools/training for coding. Since I have left the MT profession, for obvious reasons, I needed to find an adjunct to all of those years of working and training to just get Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½somethingÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ out of all of those years of daily training. I loved my job, but it was beyond my self esteem as an educated, long-term employee to let myself succumb to greed, period, no need to go into any further detail, you all know what it is, and it is, okay?

So, NO, I did not buy any of the online Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½degreesÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½, I am in a rural location, okay a farm, no really! I have worked for one of the largest companies out there since 2001 and was considered a highly valued employee, okay? What I saw was, and what made me resign, were the errors and inconsistencies of reports that went out daily, and I had access to all of those, that made me realize that VR was compromising my professional and personal integrity.

I enrolled in a course, 1 year long, business, typing, medical terminology, insurance billing, on and on, in 1989. with DREAMS of becoming a Medical Transcriptionist. Believe me, I started at the Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½bottomÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½, OMG I could tell you some stories about that, how Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½trainedÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ I was, HAHA! But because of the kind of person I am, and how passionate I was about doing this, I persevered, really, embarrassing at times! I finally got my break after, well probably 4 years until I actually got Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½ITÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½. Then I was off and running. But let me tell you, I started out at 11.50/ hr in 1992, working in radiology, ancillary transcriptionist. I moved, then got into Medical Records at 8.50/hr in 1996. I then quickly went up in pay to 13.00/hr in 1998. I then went to work at home in 2000 and was bringing home an average of 28.00/hr. Big corporate came in, bought up all the small guys, pay went down and down, and I will not name any company names.

I just want you all to know, donÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t give up, I never do, never will, schooling, everything is all about how passionate you are about it okay? Even if I find my Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½newÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ school has a low percentage of success/hiring, I really donÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t care, ya know? ItÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s really all about Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½meÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ and what I put into it. Yes, I am the kind of person that does not just Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½yuck yuck okay, and give them my VISA numberÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½, really? IÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½m 54, been there - done that okay? I will make the best of myself and this schooling, and if it doesnÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t work out Ã¢ï¿½ï¿½ then it doesnÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½t, but wth, itÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s 6 months out of my life and I have been on unemployment for 6 months because I quit. Yes, I got unemployment because I quit, I told them exactly what I said above and they approved it, no problems. I live in CA, so thatÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½s my story. IÃ¢ï¿½ï¿½ll keep you all posted as my courses go by if you are interested K?

Sorry for the delay in responding, but honestly, I was pretty freaked out with the responses.

Thanks, Hope I will still be welcome on this board.

That is a relief to hear - sm

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It is a relief to hear that. Thanks for letting us know. We were just worried that you had been sucked in b something unsavory.

Keep us posted with what your course includes and how you do. We can perhaps point out anything you should do above that.

Keep in mind that we recommend you aim for the CPC and CCS both, not the CCA and definitely not any credential from anyone other than the AAPC or AHIMA.

Your course may teach to the CCS or it may not. Chances are it will teach to the CPC. If might also focus more on billing. No matter,we can help you figure out what to do to make the most of it.

Sounds - like

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You will find your way just fine. As for recommendations, you go with what is right for you, I know you will! Good luck!

Sounds like a good deal. What I found locally was . . . - MTLC

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We have a community college that has a coding program where you can earn an Associate's Degree. It may teach some inpatient hospital, but mostly outpatient.

I attended an AAPC chapter meeting and there recent graduates of that program who had just passed the CPC but didn't have work yet (probably about 10.) The main speaker at the meeting also was in charge of hiring coders for the huge hospital system that has bought out most practices and outpatient facilities. She asked the credentialed coders who were looking for work (experience not necessary) to talk to her after the meeting.

That same community college used to have a medical transcription Associate's Degree program. When I first moved to this area and worked for a local service, I was surprised at the quality of work of the MTs who were fresh out of the program.

I also agree with you that a lot has to do with a person's own drive and determination. It sounds like you have natural skills and abilities that you can use to make it in the coding field. I know that is how I feel about myself (although I haven't started a program yet).

Please, PLEASE, come back and tell us about the course and the instructors and your homework and anything else you think we might benefit from. I have been following the coding board faithfully for over a year. I love to follow people's progress and it helps me in figuring out my next steps.

Thanks for posting and please come back!

Thanks for the positive feedback! - Retired MTer

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I will keep you all posted. I'm so looking forward to meeting new people here on this board and at school. Hopefully will also find a part-time job, I don't care what it is right now, just to get through school.

Thanks again, and have a fun weekend!

What college is that? - sm

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If you are going to do an associate degree in coding, that is 2 years full-time. If that is truly the case, you might want to be sure it is within an AHIMA-accredited HIT program because that is a lot of time and expense for just coding. You can do an entire RHIT associates degree in that time. If it is not an AHIMA accredited program, you will end up taking a lot of required courses like math, personal wellness, and English, as well as a load of electives, and not one whit of it will ever transfer to an AHIMA degree program.

I mention this because few, if any, AHIMA college programs offer a coding program that takes 2 years or leads to an associate's degree. They only take 9 months and lead to a certificate. They also do not usually focus mostly on outpatient coding.

What you are describing sounds more like a local career college. Such a college would have had a course like an AA in MT years ago. A regular AHIMA-acredited college would not have offered MT as an AA. It again would have been only 9 months.

It could also be a newer for-profit college. Those are buying up existing schools and starting a lot of 2 year programs in things that should take only a year. They focus on outpatient mostly because inpatient is too hard to teach and there are no commercial software teaching modules that teach it.

It might be that the MTs from that college were good,but I would not assume this means the coders will be. I would want to wait to seeif those new CPCs get jobs and where before signing up.

You may know this but others do not so I will point it out. The word community in community college does not refer to anything calling itself a college in your community. It refers to a college sponsored by a state or local government which usually accepts anyone with a high scool diploma and which offers 2 year degrees, certificate programs, and maybe 4 year degrees. It is usually a feeder college for state universities and credits will transfer to those higher schools. Tuition is very low. If they have health information programs they are going to be accredited by AHIMA. These schools are accredited by REGIONAL accreditation agencies-the "academic" original kind. The University of Kansas is a state school. Hillsborough Community College and St Petersburg College are community colleges. They feed to USF, U Florida, and the SPC HIT program feeds to the U Central Florida RHIA program.

There are also private colleges and universities. Few are only 2 year schools. Tuition is high and admissions are competitive. They have higher requirements than just a high school diploma. They may not accept other college's courses in transfer and almost never accept transfer from diploma mills. There are excellent health information programs at these schools and they will be accredited by AHIMA. These colleges are REGIONALLY accredited. Examples are Harvard, Duke, Stanford, St Scholastica. If you were to want your college credits to transfer into a good private college's RHIA program, you might find that nothing will.

Then there are the diploma mills like Kaplike, Everwhat, this and that tech, the University of Phoebe, this and that "business college" and a host of others. There are several in any community. Some have names similar to existing state or private colleges, making students think it is affiliated with that school. Giant corporations own them. These schools could not get accredited by regional agencies because the academic quality is low and acceptance standards lower, so they formed their own agency, which is national. They mislead students by saying they are nationally accredited, not just regionally. Their credits do not transfer. They are known for boiler rooms full of admission reps, almost ludicrously high tuition, happy grades, and strong selling of federal financial aid.

If your scool is the latter, and you spend 2 years on a coding degree, you might get a job but you will have paid far too much in time and money for it.

I know someone who did that for coding and lost 30K. Know someone else who spent that much on a computer science degree that will not transfer. She thought it was programming but it was mostly data entry. And she still does not recognize that it is not a real college. Someone else with a business degree from the flaming bird that must have cost more than a Wharton MBA thinks she has something special and doesn't realize that people do not recognize it.

If you can tell us the name of this school, I will be happy to tell you which it is and if is accredited by AHIMA and for what.

Name of School - Retired MTer

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This is not an online program, and I'm sorry, I don't want to seem rude, but I never give out my location online, nor do I think anyone should, so I can't answer your question. This is a 6 month program, all the other information I won't repeat as it's in my prior posts. Thanks for the info though!

This is what 6 months tells me - sm

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If it is 6 months long, it is not a degree program of any kind. It will give you a certificate of completion, which is not a degree.

This is going to be a career college, but if the program is only 6 months you will be learning to code and not much else, so yu would not need to worry about college credit.

In 6 months you can learn outpatient coding but not inpatient. This sounds like an AAPC type course. Unless it is like the one here that charges 30K, it is probably ok. Compare the tuition with the online AAPC course. If it is about the same, fine, because that is all it is teaching. If it is more, not so good. You should not have to take out federal loans for this.

I was not asking you to give your address. It would be truly impossible to locate you by the name of the school. In any case, your locale is already public knowledge from the number associated with your internet account. Unless you mask that, websites know who you are. You are not as anonymous as you seem to think.

Well - just a reader

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You already said you live in CA, so I really don't understand the reluctance to give your school name. Unless you're the only student there, it would be pretty hard to figure out who you are.

Personally, I'm a bit concerned about your school & course. I wish you the best and that it works out well for you.

I have same reaction as you, Retired MTer! LOL! - MTLC

[ In Reply To ..]
The name of the community college I was mentioning to you has the name of my area in it, so I also did not want to post that information. Even though I know nothing is really private, I have a threshold after which I do not want to give out any more info.

Again, well wishes in your endeavors!

Reply re type of college - MTLC

[ In Reply To ..]
It is an area community college that is similar to what you described about state government help, and can transfer credits to 4-year universities etc. It is not like National College or Kaplan, etc.

They have 2- and 3-year medical programs for RN, LPN, sonography, physical therapy assistant, dental hygienist, etc. They used to have transcription but phased that out. And, yes, you have to take English and computer classes and other stuff that have nothing to do with coding.

I am not sure about AHIMA accreditation, but isnt that for CCS? These ladies I met at the AAPC chapter meeting all had taken and passed their CPC.

As an aside, I do not intend to take this course at our community college because: A) I would rather take the Andrews course and learn just how to code and B)I live in a small town and would have to commute and do not want to.

But I was mentioning what I had seen and observed to the original poster because she was already taking a local college course and I wanted to encourage her that I met people who could pass CPC after such a course and were being hired.

I don't believe a word of this - Doubting Thomas

[ In Reply To ..]
Sounds like they are trying to keep the pot stirred up......Okay????

My feelings exactly - nm - Retired MTer

[ In Reply To ..]
Now, moving on...please.

I think they want to make this board a rude place to be - See message

[ In Reply To ..]
This has been a great place for coders and those who are interested in coding. It's successful, so that means it will be a target for people who don't like success and happiness.

I'm not buying this story for a couple of reasons. What I'm getting is that this person keeps making rude comments about 'online' schools, so I'm pretty sure that's the agenda. Those of us who have attended online schools know that some are excellent and others worthless. I've experienced both. I suspect there is more to this than a person just thinking about training, asking for the best online schools, suddenly announcing she has enrolled close to home, several more insults to online schools, mysterious location, even more mysterious name of school, and it goes on and on. It doesn't pass the smell test.

No, since you asked, not 'K' as you put it :) - Hitting the Reject Button On This Topic

[ In Reply To ..]
After reading all of your messages, putting them together and comparing them with each other, well, I'm trying to think up a polite word for it, but all I can come up with is disingenuous.

Okay? No really, haha, ya know, no really! - Silliness Alert

[ In Reply To ..]
Someone had an attack of the silliness bug obviously.

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