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coder/cmt - anyone

Posted: Jan 15, 2012

Anyone who went into coding from MT, are/were you a CMT and if so did you keep your CMT credential up after being in coding a while or did you let it fall away seeing really no further need for it? Having to keep up coding credentials is enough and I wonder if I really need to keep it. Any reasons why I should keep it?

So funny you asked this - sm - Coder-to-be

[ In Reply To ..]
I am/have been a CMT for years. I am about to let it lapse even though I don't have a coding job and may not ever find one. I originally got the CMT because my job at the time paid more if I got the credential. Other than that it has been meaningless, really. The CPC credential, on the other hand, is more feasible, for me, and I actually attend a local chapter meeting (NEVER had any CMT meetings near me to attend) and the CPC meetings are interesting for the most part and I like them and networking. Ours always includes a meal which adds to the intermingling and meeting others who are in (and some not in) the field of coding.

Long story short, even though I am still an MT, I am letting my CMT lapse. ADHI never did a thing for me and once I could compare them to the AAPC, there is no comparison in how much better the AAPC is run and actually cares about us. I never had that impression from ADHI.

thanks for your reply - The

[ In Reply To ..]
only thing it did for me was just for me as a personal achievement. No one else cared. I think I will let mine go too. Something in me hesitates to let go of it.

I actually feel the same - sm - Coder-to-be

[ In Reply To ..]
I was going to let it lapse the last cycle but just couldn't do it. My cycle is up next year and I have done NOTHING for credit so I think this may be the time - haha! I don't have the patience or time to "make-up" all that work. Too expensive and again, it is doing me absolutely no good.

As someone who did let her CMT go... - CMTx2

[ In Reply To ..]
I'd urge you not to make the same mistake I did. As I posted below, letting my first CMT go is one of my biggest professional regrets.

You never know what the future holds or what is right around the corner for any of us with Epic coming.

I do agree with you, though: AHDI never did a darn thing for me... or anyone else, for that matter.

I think the CMT may be the only good thing they ever did - CMT

[ In Reply To ..]
The CMT was a great idea if they could have convinced the MTSOs to go with it, but they didn't or couldn't. Did they try? Probably not, because the top layer of AHDI formerly AAMT was always the MTSOs, wasn't it? It was never about the MTs, and yes, it should have been. We've had nobody in our corner.

Now it appears that even the CMT is being corrupted, in my opinion. It used to be that you had to demonstrate that you could describe difficult dictation in a number of specialties, including surgery. Now, you get blips of dictation and more disconnected pieces of information that don't really impact your ability as an MT. In other words, it's so head-in-the-clouds academic that it's no longer an indication of whether you can transcribe or not.

Agree, agree,, agree - Letting it lapse 2

[ In Reply To ..]
I agree with what you said. You saved me some time.

AAPC and AHIMA actually DO something for me. I get recognizable value from those certifications.

For me, paying for the renewal is not a big issue, but the aggravation of filling out the paperwork, requesting approval, and trying to sort CEUs into the categories is more trouble than it is worth. So is trying to keep track of 3 years worth of CEUs to suit their preferred schedule. And then we get to their hokey "word warriors," punctuation silliness and the requirement for CEUs in MT technology. I am no longer interested in word processing and expanders. Nor am I interested in emailing them to get a verdict on what exactly informatics counts for.

On top of that, I feel that renewing supports an organization that did everything wrong.

Have to agree with everything you said - sm - Coder-to-be

[ In Reply To ..]
AHDI has done nothing for me except charge me a fortune for every CEC they require. At least the AAPC has free things and low cost things to keep your credential and I find them interesting.

I hate to let it go, just for the accomplishment of having it, but most people could truly care less at a job interview. Sad but true.

On the other hand, - Maybe

[ In Reply To ..]
I'll keep it just in case I need to do MT temporarily if I can't find another Coding job at some point in the future.

I'm keeping mine because I don't want to have to retest in the future - if it gets to be important

[ In Reply To ..]
This is a crazy world. Everything in healthcare changes with the wind. There's a possibility that the CMT may really matter in the future. For that reason, I'm keeping mine.

Keeping up your CMEs is easy. Just use the journal articles and take the quizzes online. Be sure you have enough in each category. It may take a few hours, or less. Free. No stress.

Agreed. IF I go into coding, I am keeping mine. - CMTx2

[ In Reply To ..]
The reason I am CMTx2 is because I let my first CMT lapse for lack of CEs. My employer at the time didn't give it any credence, actually told me it didn't matter to her, and I was so happy in that job I was going to work there *forever*. ::: eye roll :::

Letting my first CMT lapse is one of my biggest professional regrets. I was foolish, shouldn't have done it.

The second time around, the test was MUCH more difficult than it was back in the mid '90s.

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