my experience MT to coder - happy

Posted: Jul 14, 2013

I just wanted to share my experience with those who are interested in reading.  I discovered this board about 2 years ago.  Actually, I used this board very frequently when I was a MT, and then discovered the coding/medical billing link and started to peruse the coversations.  I did what I could to find out how to research coding schools, ask the important questions, and I decided to attend Andrews.  Absolutely no regrets there.  I started my coding training first through AHIMA.  I was going to take my classes with them, but I did not like my AHIMA education experience with the prerequisite A&P course.  No instructor to ask questions to, no students to chat with.  This meant a lot to me - to get answers to my questions.  So, I passed the A&P course and enrolled with Andrews.  I love having instructors who answer your questions.  Yes, it takes a few days and somtimes longer, but I do get answers.  I love being able to communicate with other students and know that my struggles are also their struggles.  I am not alone, and what I am struggling with is normal.  Now a year later, I am at the end of my studies, and I am 4 months into my first coding job, entry level hospital outpatient coder.  Real-life coding is very different from learning coding in school (really because of the electronic nature of the Encoder, Epic).  Of course the codes are the same for the diagnosis.  My starting salary is a little over $12/hour.  Gasp!  Shock!  Yes.  But, it was better than working nothing but holidays, nights, and weekends waiting for MT work to dribble in and then find out you lost another account to Nuance, or MQ, or you would be doing editing for 3-4 cpl, and you have 20 years experience.  No -thank-you.  Never looked back one day.  I love my new career.  Sometimes I still type a few jobs here and there for some extra $$, and I truly, truly loved being a MT.  But you need to give me steady work, and a steady salary.I love getting out of the house, dressing up (casual and even scrubs where I work), and getting paid for 40 hours a week.My point - even if coding does follow some of the same path as MT, make yourself more than a coder.  My plan is to get my CCP, CCS, and then branch off into hopefully either auditing or compliance.  If I am really wanting to progress, I will enroll in WGU (once I can afford it) and take the Health Informatics course which includes I think 7 IT certs and 100% pass on RHIA (I believe).  It's been a while since I've been on their site, so don't hold me word for word please.  I started as ancillary coder, very, very simple work.  The easiest first job that I could have had.  So grateful.  But, now I'm branching into the clinic coding, ER coding, and will be cross training soon in inpatient and outpatient surg coding.   Your new career from MT will be what you make it.  Learn a lesson from the MT world.  Do not make yourself so specialized that if something happens in your field, you are screwed.  Learn coding and billing, auditing, compliance, one of our coders even came from an insurance company.