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

Ultimate Medical Academy (UMA)??? - Toni

Posted: Dec 05, 2011

I am a transcriptionist thinking about learning Billing/Coding. Looking into online programs. UMA has approached me and I was wondering if anyone has learned from them or has any input about them? I have not found out how much they charge for the program, but I'm betting it isn't cheap. Still leaning towards Andrews, but this UMA looks pretty good too. Any information would be greatly appreciated!

check this out - link

[ In Reply To ..]
www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/ultimate-medical-academy-c151158.html

online programs - MJINATL

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Hi Toni - I too am in transcription and transitioning to coding. It depends on the extent of what you want to get out of the coding field. Do you want a certificate or do you want a 2-year degree? I know nothing about Ultimate Medical Academy but the main thing you need to look into when searching would be accreditation. You MUST make sure the course/class is accredited either through AHIMA and/or AAPC. AHIMA has schools/courses listed on their website of accredited programs. (www.ahima.org). Hope this helps.

Advice from a successful transitioner from MT to coding - It is all about credentials

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There are all sorts of schools, but very few of them prepare their students for both the CCS and the CPC credentials. I was talking to a woman who is taking one of the courses given by the credentialing organization itself and she can't get any help from instructors. Their course isn't designed to prepare students for the exam that their organization gives. If she hangs in there and manages to finish, with little or no help from instructors, she still won't be ready to sit for the credentials exams, the most important goal any coding student should have.

This is true for coding... - sm

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This is true for coding. Employers will want to see the CCS and/or CPC and if you have those they will not care if the program you went through was AHIMA accredited or not. I would be surprised if they even asked where you went.

The AHIMA course only prepares you for the CCA-it is the "basics".

But if you decide to go for a degree and want to obtain a RHIT or RHIA then it has to be CAHIM approved or AHIMA will not allow you to sit for the credential exam.

Amazing advice! Also incorrect. - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
This is what the above post said: "... the main thing you need to look into when searching would be acreditation. You MUST make sure the course/class is accredited either through AHIMA and/or AAPC."

As far as coding is concerned, nothing in that statement is accurate.

1. The AAPC does not accredit ANY programs, so you will be unable to find any.

2. AHIMA does not accredit coding programs--it only "approves" them. Not all schools choose to go through the approval process. You should not assume that a school which does not boast of approval is deficient--they may be better than an approved program and just unwilling to cut back on what they teach or to change the way they teach it. Not all schools meet the structural requirements for approval--perhaps they're not affiliated with a college or they're too small to afford the cost, time, or aggravation involved in getting approved.

If you personally feel a need to attend an approved coding program, that's fine, but you should not tell others that this is a critical decision factor for them.

3. Neither AAPC or AHIMA require completion of their programs, OR ANY PROGRAM, for their certification exams. You can take those exams regardless of how you learned, even if you taught yourself. (And, yes, lots of people teach themselves and/or learn on the job.)

There is an explanation for the mistaken belief that "accreditation" is required. It is that there is a prerequisite for the AHIMA RHIA and RHIT certification exams. You cannot take those exams unless you graduated from an AHIMA-accredited college program. However, the requirements for those credentials have nothing to do with coding credentials.

Here's something that does affect choice of a school. If the school tells you it prepares you for the CCA only, or that it suggests multiple years of experience before you can pass any exams, be careful. That is telling you that the program does not teach to the level of the exams.

And, just a note about experience, since that question usually follows the "accreditation" thing . . . neither AHIMA nor AAPC require experience for the CCS, CCS-P, or CPC exams. Should you pass the exam, AHIMA will grant you the full credential even if you have no experience. They do not, in fact, even know if you have no experience.

If you have no experience and pass the CPC, AAPC will grant a CPC-A credential (apprentice designation) until you have accumulated 2 years of experience. This isn't particularly detrimental in job hunting, so it's nothing to worry about. If you complete a course of a certain length, AAPC will give you credit for 1 of those years. They will give this for any number of schools, including Andrews.

Amazing advice! Also incorrect - MJINATL

[ In Reply To ..]
Wow!!! I was only trying to be helpful in giving Toni some advice regarding furthering their education. Yes AHIMA only "approves" the schools through their site by 'listing' them - I was only suggesting they check out ALL avenues before attending ANY school as there are so many bogus programs out there that just take your money. I also was just trying to emphasize that when seeking employment for a coding job, look at the coding jobs listed, a majority of the jobs posted DO SAY they are "seeking one who has a CCS, etc. credential from an AHIMA-based program OR AAPC program." Have a nice day!

I also noticed that your advice was incorrect - See message

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I was about to correct the error in your advice, but someone beat me to it. It's important that we keep on correcting misconceptions because it's so easy for them to catch on and be considered factual. You've got another error in your second message, but it's obvious that you are just trying to help. I hope you have a very nice day too.

Coders are just meticulous about details like this - All About Getting Things Right

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The obsession for getting facts right is just one of the characteristics of being a coder. It goes with the job.

Looked into it further - Toni

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and found that it is just too expensive (around 16,000). There is a school in my home town that I could go to for the same price and actually be in front of a teacher. I will eventually try either Andrews or Career Step I think.

Toni - Coder

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All of the diploma mills "look good." They have to in order to attract students. I'm glad that the cost dissuaded you, because it can be very difficult to sort out the wheat from the chaff based on what schools tell you they teach.

Be very careful about making decisions based on whether you think there is a teacher standing in front of the class. That is no guarantee of quality instruction. In fact, many colleges -- which you would assume have teachers in front of a class -- now teach all their coding online. While there may be a teacher, they aren't the kind of teacher you had in the past. For the most part, online instruction is an unhappy process of floundering around screen after screen of error-laden material. Tests are online, software-graded exercises in frustration when no one, including the instructors, can explain why answers are incorrect.

For what it's worth, of the two schools you mentioned, Andrews is known to provide the most instructor assistance. They understand its importance and, even though it is by email, they do a good job of it. All of their instructors are experienced, credentialed, working coders who enjoy teaching and are good at it.

Thank you everyone! - Toni

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I really enjoy this site and all the communication throughout it. I appreciate all responses. Again, thanks!

The ongoing joke about coding courses with teachers at the front - Please see message

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There is an ongoing joke in our industry about on-campus coding classes. The teacher comes into the classroom every class day, picks up the book, and reads it to the students word for word. The joke is, that's really happening. The students may or may not be able to answer questions. The instructor may or may not be qualified or able/willing or have time to answer any questions that are asked. With all that reading to be done, there really isn't time for nonsense like learning how to do what you are listening to the teacher read about. It's a lazy way to teach, but it seems to be the norm these days for many of the colleges. Some of the materials they read from are good and some of them aren't, but it's no wonder that coders come out of school unable to pass a test, either for credentials or for a job. They would probably need the test proctor to read it to them because that's how they've been taught.

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