Entering the medical billing and coding field often begins with earning a certification, like the CPC-A. Many aspiring professionals in 2017 and even today wonder if this path is truly a sound career choice. While certification is a crucial first step, it’s important to understand that it’s not an automatic guarantee of a job. Landing that first role requires more than just credentials.
The Certification Reality Check
Think of your certification as your foundational knowledge and a signal to employers that you’re serious about medical coding. It demonstrates you’ve invested in training and understand the basics. However, the job market, even back in 2017, was competitive. A certification, while essential for many coding positions, is just the beginning. It’s not a golden ticket, but rather the necessary entry pass to the arena.
Strategies for Job Seekers
Securing your first medical coding job, especially without prior experience, requires a strategic approach. Networking within the healthcare industry is invaluable. Connecting with professionals, attending industry events (even virtual ones today), and making your presence known can open doors. Alongside networking, a well-crafted, professional resume is critical. It’s often the first impression you make on potential employers, and highlighting relevant skills and experiences, even from seemingly unrelated healthcare roles, can make a significant difference.
Furthermore, be open to exploring different avenues within medical coding. While facility coding and profee coding are common paths, areas like risk adjustment offer significant opportunities. In 2017, and continuing now, risk adjustment roles were often more accessible to CPC-A certified individuals, sometimes even offering on-the-job training. These positions can also be financially rewarding as you gain experience.
Leveraging Your Healthcare Experience
If you’re transitioning to medical coding from another healthcare role, remember that your existing experience is an asset. A professional resume writer, particularly one specializing in medical coding resumes, can help you articulate the value of your background. They can help you frame your experience in a way that highlights transferable skills and appeals to coding employers. This was true in 2017 and remains relevant today.
Conclusion
So, is medical billing and coding a good career choice? Looking back to 2017, and considering the landscape today, the answer is yes, but with realistic expectations. Certification is vital, but job searching requires proactive networking, a strong resume, and flexibility in exploring different coding specialties. Persistence and a strategic approach are key to unlocking a rewarding career in medical billing and coding.
