Monthly Tip
A word about Career Counseling.
Have you ever contacted AHIMA and asked about career advice? It might not occur to you to do that, but it sure is a popular place for a lot of people. Personally, I feel like a person, not a web site, ought to help guide people along. These are really important decisions in a person’s life. As a result, I am AHIMA’s Career Counselor and can be contacted at their website. Most of the questions that have come in this month are directed toward coding, and may apply to you or someone you know. Here’s a shortened version from some January conversations:
Advise from the “Ask Jeeves” of HIM…or that’s how I feel most of the time.
Q: Can I take coding classes from home?
A: Of course. There are several AHIMA approved coding programs offered on-line.
Q: Does a coding course have to be AHIMA approved for me to sit for the CCS or CCA exam?
A: Nope. But when you go through an approved program you have the assurance that the curriculum has been designed to cover all the bases for passing the CCA test.
Q: Why mess with the CCA exam when the CCS is the credential people want to hire?
A: The CCA is entry level, the first rung on the coding career ladder. The CCS is designed for the more experienced coder. That test is just plain harder.
Q: If I pass the test, will I get a job?
A: Boy, I hate this question. Although there is certainly a shortage of coders, experience still speaks volumes. Coding is simply too important to risk a learning curve. Your very best bet is to network early, do an internship, offer to re-code charts to prove your ability. This will help an employer realize your ability when you’re just getting your feet wet in the profession.
Q: How can I find out if my program is approved?
A: www.ahima.org Scroll across the header of this home page to “Schools/Jobs”. Select Approved, accredited programs from the drop down menu. A screen with 4 blank boxes will appear. Put Coding in the first box, skip the next box, put in your state for a traditional program and mark “no” for the last box, distance education. The search will tell you all the approved programs in your state. To find out about an on-line program, ignore the box asking about your state and mark “yes” in the last box, distance education. This search will tell you all the approved on-line programs in the country.
If YOU, a reader of this page, have a question, call me at 910-392-0047. I’ll answer on the first or second ring. If not, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee at the next AHIMA meeting!
~Susan
Contact us for all of your employment and recruiting needs! 910-392-0047
