Why did you decide to take a career training course?
I am a perpetual learner. At 55 years old, I realized that life was moving along with or without me and I needed to move with it. I embarked on a new journey – Medical Billing and Coding after receiving a Jefferson State brochure in the mail regarding AARP 50+ Back to Work degree program. However, this was not my first time as a student at Jefferson State. In May 2002, I obtained my Pre-Finance Certification from Jefferson State, graduating with honors. I knew the depths of a well-developed education program in which Jefferson State offered, so it was a “no-brainer” to continue learning there.
What did you enjoy about the course?
The Medical Billing and Coding course allowed me to challenge my mind. The course is a rigorous 20-week program that provides the student education and experience to master all code sets (CPT, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II), evaluation and management (E/M) principles, surgical coding, and adherence to documentation and coding guidelines. The course taught me to look at the financial side of a business’ revenue cycle and the medical side of a patient’s journey to well-being.
What would you tell someone who was considering taking a career training course?
I would recommend a career training course for anyone interested in a satisfying and challenging certification. The Workforce Development team was not only involved; they were hands-on with check-ups to ensure that I was able to obtain those things that I needed to succeed. I was provided a computer skills class, resume writing preparations, mock interview sessions, and a generous amount of support by the Workforce Development team. Jefferson State affords an excellent opportunity to expand one’s horizon. My favorite moto is “You have to go through some things in order to tell somebody else something.” Therefore, my journey through the career training course was exemplary of working hard and obtaining the certification.
Are you currently employed? If so, where and what do you do?
I am currently employed at Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority, which surprisingly most people think that it no longer exists. In reality, Cooper Green is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and construction is underway for a new state-of-the-art facility. I am employed as an Authorization Specialist where I utilize the skills from the Medical Billing and Coding course on a daily basis.
Anything else you want to add?
In addition to obtaining my certification as a Certified Professional Coder through Jefferson State’s Work Force Development/AARP Back to Work program, I recently obtained my Certified Professional Compliance Officer certification. I am scheduled to take my Certified Professional Biller certification exam in November 2022. I am also a Graduate School student at The University of Alabama at Birmingham with a concentration in Health Systems; with a current 3.5 GPA. The Medical Coding and Billing Certification course at Jefferson State was my segue to continue my perpetual learning journey. It is never too late to learn.
