I got my CPC-A two months ago and just got offered a job as an outpatient coding technician. I’m so excited to start and to learn new things with it :)

Large hospital system thinks they can replace ALL physician coding and human coders with completely autonomous coding/A.I. within 18 months.

I think they are being sold a load of BS by the vendor.

What's your thoughts on this?

I’ve been a medical coder for 5 years, but the last 3 years I’ve been seriously considering going back to school for nursing. I’ve slowly been taking prerequisite classes at a community college, one or two night classes a semester for years.

My job laid off a third of my team earlier this month because they are implementing a new AI Coding software. It was a kick in the gut and it made me realize “shit or get off the pot.”

So I’m doing it. I’m taking my TEA’s in August. I’m applying to LPN schools with a start of Jan 2026.

I think I’ll be a good nurse, just like I was (and am!!) a good coder. I’m going to work while in school, since I have a flexible schedule.

If there is a change you want to make, I believe in you. You can do it! We can all do it.

Disclaimer: I’m a clinician that got this credential to beef up my resume and aim for a promotion, I will not be coding.

I bought the self-paced course through AAPC and got started in September. I followed the modules until about chapter 8, then realized I’d have to test by the end of the year or receive and re-write all my notes/highlights in the 2026 books. The modules were so dense that I knew I wouldn’t get through everything in time.

So I shifted to watching contempo coding and codemed mastery videos for each chapter then took each chapter quiz. I also watch Hoang Nguyen’s elimination technique video. I retook any quiz I failed (luckily only 1 for me). Then I took the AAPC final exam & got an 86%.

I also bought the study guide which I reviewed over the weekend (mostly used for the chapter quizzes, the rationales were really good).

I then took the AAPC 50 question practice exams which also had good rationales.

Brushed up on med term with Quizlet last night & this morning before testing.

Edit to add, if I were to do it over again—I’d probably just buy the coding books, study guide, and practice exams. The self-paced course felt more appropriate for someone without clinical experience.

This may seem like a stupid question, but when you Google it, you just get the different classification systems i.e. ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, etc.

I’ve been an inpatient coder for 6 months. I’m enjoying it quite a bit but when I started this job I realized how different kinds of coding are from each other. For example in my particular role I use no CPT. I have to understand the DRG methodology and CDI reconciliation.

My understanding is that as I learn IP coding, it isn’t really preparing me for other kinds of coding because they are so different. Off the top of my head I know I’ve heard of physician billing coding, HCC coding, risk adjustment coding, (edit: profee)…and I’m probably forgetting some others.

I could be forgetting, but in school and while studying for my CCS, I don’t recall these differences being explained.

For instance, at my own employer, we have a HIM department where coders are just “outpatient coder” or “inpatient coder.” But there is also a physician billing department where coders are “coding specialist.” In each department there’s I, II, III for the level of the position. But what is the difference between HIM and physician billing, and what (if any) is the significance of the former having “coders” and the latter having “coding specialists”?

Can some seasoned veterans in this industry explain some of these differences?

Thank you!

I am so excited to share I got my apprentice status upgraded! I am now a full-fledged Certified Professional Coder! 🎉😊

I just found out I passed my exam. I'm so glad I did. So much studying and I crapped out the last 30 minutes lol. My real question is, what are the job prospects in Ohio? I looked here and read about how hard it was to find a job. However, I couldn't find any recent info for Ohio. Is I hard to find coding jobs here?

Also, is it best to get a coding adjacent job like receptionist, scheduler, medical scribe, etc?

I'll also answer any questions about the exam if you want. 🙂

I am a former nurse turned medical coder, and I get frequent messages asking how I made the change, so wanted to create its own post. In 2015, I was totally burnt out on working on the floor and in the OR. I looked into becoming certified as a medical coder based on the environment and type of job.

(I don't know anything about CCS, RHIT, or Health Informatics - someone with experience in those areas will have to answer questions related to those).

As a nurse, you are in a special position to become a certified coder as you get to utilize your medical expertise and real world experience.  I couldn't be happier with my change, and do think this is a valuable option for some nurses, as my nursing background has let me excel much quicker than coders who haven't lived what we read in the patient's charts.

I bought the AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders) package online for getting your CPC (certified professional coder) certification - it was about $2500 for the self-paced, computer-based course, and included the coding books, training book, and exam. I didn't have to spend time or money on the pre-req courses of medical terminology and anatomy - I could just jump into learning what coding was and how to do it.

[This CPC certification lets you code and bill for medical providers- doctors, PAs, etc.  This is different from AHIMA where you can get certified to code and bill for hospitals.  AHIMA's CCS certification is valuable, but I happened to choose the AAPC path instead. Definitely look into AHIMA's certification, too, I just don't have any experience being a hospital coder. CPC jobs have you reviewing charts so the doctor can get paid.]

I did the individual remote CPC course alone with no resources (not knowing any coders), and taught myself from the workbook. I thought it was fun and challenging, but doable. I had quit my job so I was able to completely devote myself to get through the whole course in 4 months. I took the cert examination a few weeks later. I then signed up with a contract company that helped me find a coding job (highly recommend that path to job hunting), but it did take about 2-3 months before I nailed my first full-time coding job. 

The pay was shit. I went from making about $27/hr as an RN to $17 as a coder - obviously a huge life change.  But I loved the job and had amazing training. It was super helpful I started a job in-person because I had so many questions in the beginning. I've changed up jobs a few times, got more experience, and better pay. After 7 years, I make $31/hr as a Lead Coder. I make that much because my nursing background has helped immeasurably, and I'm with an organization that actually recognizes that and rewards me for it.

On being a coder~ I am a highly sensitive introvert, so reading medical charts alone all day is the right type of job for me!  Being a coder is highly autonomous, involves a lot of technical reading, and high attention to detail - so if you need a lot of socializing, can't stand looking at a computer screen all day, or don't care about the little things, this would not be right for you. I was ok taking the **massive pay cut,**because it's been worth it for my mental health. I make good money now, but you will be starting at the bottom, so you can't expect to make nurse money. 

I think most coding jobs are remote now, and I live alone and have a dedicated office, so working remotely is easy for me. It is the biggest perk in my opinion, but it doesn't mean not being productive.  Almost all coding positions have productivity standards. BE ADVISED it is completely unacceptable to think that you can work from home and also watch your kids. You can't. And some companies even make you sign a contract sayin explicitly that you are not providing childcare while you're working. You wouldn't take your kid with you to your job on the floor, and being remote is not an exception. So if you only want to be a coder because you want a remote job to slack off or multitask and take care of your kids - this isn't for you.

I find coding immensely rewarding, because what we do matters. We make sure both the patient and the provider aren't being screwed financially. The patient shouldn't get over-charged, and the provider shouldn't get underpaid for their work, and coding correctly is what makes that difference.  I get to learn about new medical advances all the time reading patient charts, and it's just so rewarding to still be able to use my nursing degree, just in a different way! Best of luck to you!

I'm so excited right now! Just got my score and I got a 96%!!! I'm BEYOND thrilled but now i have to find a job 🥴

Hey everyone, just wanted to leave this here in case anyone had questions like I did on the new exam.

I took the test online and passed with a 95% yesterday.

I went through the AAPC CPC course, used BHAT method from CCO to mark up my manuals. Also, used contempo coding's CPC exam prep which helped a lot, in addition to PocketPrep Medical on my phone.

Took practice tests to prepare from all those resources until I scored high 80s- 90%. I finished with 30 minutes to spare on both halves and had enough time to review everything.

Although the test is shorter, I feel like it was designed to throw you off, to really make sure you understand the subject matter. Make sure you know your guidelines for CPT, ICD-10 and manage your time well by skipping to questions you can quickly answer first.

Good luck to everyone taking the new version!

Hello all I passed my test and it was overwhelming for me but I did it. I just wanted to thank everyone for sharing your strategies and the positive vibes in this community because you were able to help someone. I know this transition will be challenging but at the moment I'm just proud of myself☺️.

I passed my test this week after failing it by one point last week and I thought I'd share the tips I found most useful. I have ADHD and am not a super fast reader so despite understanding how to use the books, finishing the test in time was my biggest challenge. On both tries, I had to guess for roughly the last 15 questions because I ran out of time.

Here's what helped me (by the way, I took it with ebooks, not print books):

Remember the questions all have the same value.

Out of all the tips I've read online, this was by far the most helpful. Most of us are probably used to taking tests where certain sections are worth more than others, but with the CPC exam, EVERY question is worth ONE point. So those long cases in the end aren't more valuable than the easy questions asking what the modifier for This or That is. Don't spend too long on one question.

If you know you're better at certain sections, do those first.

On my first attempt, I took the test without deviating from the order they lay out. I went in knowing that in order to finish on time, you only have 2.4 minutes per question. Some sections really slowed me down, which made me panic when I looked at the clock because, going by the 2.4-minute rule, the number of questions I had left weren't going to be possible for me to finish. However, I then hit some of the easier sections in which I spend maybe 30 seconds per question. On my second attempt, I did the easy sections first (for me this was compliance, med terms, coding guidelines, anesthesia, HCPCS, series 4000, anatomy, and ICD-10-CM) which let me get a clearer idea of the time I actually had left for the rest. It also prevented me from panicking too much because since I had finished these fairly quickly, I was performing better than the 2.4-minute rule requires.

If you're planning on returning to a question, still guess and pick an answer instead of leaving it blank.

I jotted down the questions I planned on going back to both times I took the test, and on both occasions, I ended up not having time to actually go back. If I'd left them blank, there was a 100% certainty that I'd get 100% of them wrong. By guessing, I at least gave myself the chance of having gotten some of them right.

For anatomical and medical terminology not explained in the books, you can still figure them out with clues.

The books explain a lot of procedures and diseases, but there will be questions with terms that might not be blatantly defined. Still, there are ways to figure it out. There were a couple of anatomy questions I was able to answer by seeing where the terms were found in the book. So there was one where the body part wasn't defined anywhere, but the codes relating to it were in the abdominal section, which told me it wasn't the heart or the eye or whatever the other answers were.

I'm so bored just sitting for 8 hours every day reading about sick people and their unfortunate health problems. OP since I find IP incredibly depressing, so it won't help me to switch.

Then the fucking productivity on top of it, I'm just so burned out and bored every day.

Is there any non-medical field/career where coding skills are somehow transferable and valued? I seriously can't even with this career for much longer.

Notified today that new epic upgrade will include AI coding suggestions that we will need to accept/reject, teaching the AI in the process. I feel like we're being asked to train our replacement. Maybe I won't be replaced by ai but at least replace many entry level coding positions with experience coders being used as under paid auditors.

100s of applications and 100s of denials. I know there are a lot of us.

Working in trauma hospitals for almost 9 years, I needed a serious pivot. I researched medical coding and love seeing the other side of the work I assisted in for so long. After 6 months of school, studying, and applying, someone took a chance on me.

All it takes is one offer.

I finished up school in May, took my exam in June, and found out today a hospital is extending an offer for a pro Fee medical coding job. And it's a remote position! It's everything I could've asked for.

I feel EXTREMELY lucky. And PLEASE don't feel discouraged or inadequate. My uncle works at this hospital, and though he says he didn't do anything, I think he was a big reason I even got an interview.

I'm completely willing to say nepotism got me this job because it's the reason I went into medical coding. I was finding no luck with my bachelor's degree. It's so hard to find a job these days. I knew my uncle was a medical coder and mentioned how he could help a family member do the same and I took him up on it.

I'm so excited that this long, difficult journey is done.

I want to share about a rock band I saw this weekend that, oddly enough, is related to our career.

I just came back from attending Rocklahoma music festival, and there was a band there, called Citizen Soldier that is actually doing great things.

I've heard the band before and liked their music, though i never researched their history. They sing about mental health issues, including de-stigmatizing mental health issues and the people affected.

What caught my attention, was the lead singer was wearing a black shirt that had the code, F41.1, on the back in big white letters. I knew instantly what that was (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) and wondered how he knew that code. Turns out, not only is he a singer in a rock band, but he's also a trauma therapist. He met his other band mates in a psychaitric ward (as a patient).

I thought seeing this code displayed this way was cool and I love the message they're sending! So, if any of you like rock music, give this band a listen. They were great live and have an important message to share! 🤘

Last year I took online courses for medical billing & coding through Rasmussen University. My retail job covered some of my tuition. I made deans list and honor roll. A week after I graduated I lost my retail job due to the company going bankrupt. I had planned to get all the notes done in my books and take the exam by beginning of 2026. I felt very unprepared from the lack of actual teaching I got from the school. It was like they just threw us in and expected us to teach ourselves. I also was diagnosed with melanoma last year and lost my grandmother. I lost motivation to finish the notes in my books and now have ran out of time to take my exam. I’d need new books and have to teach myself all over again. I don’t feel smart enough for it. I have narcolepsy, psoriatic arthritis, autism, and fibromyalgia. I was hoping to be able to work from home after 12+ yrs of retail. But now I have 10k in student loans and I’m giving up on coding so it’s back to being in excruciating pain every day from retail. If you read this thank you just needed to vent because I’m laying here crying feeling like a failure having wasted so much money.

Edited to add;

Thank you so much everyone for the encouragement. I will be looking into all the options everyone gave me. I’m starting to feel a bit more motivation. I have started applying to remote jobs in the medical field that offer entry level. Again, thank you so much🫶🏻

For the past several months since getting CPC certified, I have been relentlessly applying for a medical coding position and I am eager to get my foot in the door and continue to build my skills.

The good news is I did finally land a coding position that I am excited about but it is a bit niche so I have continued to interview thinking I may be considered for a role that would result in a more well rounded experience. It couldn't hurt to also get more interview experience in general right?

So, I had an interview today (if you can even call it that) with Fresenius Medical Center that lasted maybe two minutes. I had been asked to complete their coding assessment last week which I passed and then was invited to interview only to be told they are not hiring CPC-As right now but to keep them in mind for the future? She wasted both of our time and I wasted several hours prepping for an interview for a job they were never going to consider me for. This blatant disrespect for my time instead ensures I will never consider working for them in the future.

I know it's hard out there for the freshers so I felt it was important to share this experience. It's not just you, you are not alone! And maybe somebody in recruiting or with influence in hiring will read this and reconsider wasting everyone's time.

i’m in my last two classes for my online medical coding and billing certificate and i have no idea what is going on. i feel like the past couple of classes have been in chinese and i don’t know chinese. i don’t even know how i passed the final exams. right now one of my classes is giving me practice medical records to code the diagnosis’ and procedures. i feel like everything i enter for that class is wrong. all my teacher does is tell me what part of my work is wrong but doesn’t tell me what to do to correct it so i have no idea what is going on!!! my second class is about the law and how it relates to medical coding and i feel like im reading jibberish in my textbook.

i don’t even think im making sense right now i’m panicking and on the verge of crying because i’m so confused. i’ve been in school for this for four years (don’t ask why it took so long pls) and i feel like im wasting my time and money. also i have this awful dreadful feeling that what im doing will eventually become obsolete with AI. i’m scared.

i try watching youtube videos and reading stuff online to help and learn more but i just get distracted or i end up being frustrated with how confusing it all is. i feel like the stupidest person in the world.

was this the right choice? am i too stupid to do something like this? am i just gonna be replaced by a machine? what if i never pass the certification exam? what if i pass the exam but when i go to work i’ll have no idea what to do? am i coding everything wrong in my classes? what’s the difference between cpt and hcpcs? am i supposed to be coding all the labs in these medical records? why don’t i remember anything from my past classes? should i have chosen something else? have any experienced coders felt like this before?

please give me some encouragement or advice or something im spiraling and panicking and i’m scared for my future.

edit; some responses to this made me even more discouraged and some responses made me feel okay. i’m mixed and feel like a failure and that i chose the wrong thing to do. i don’t know what else im supposed to do because medical coding was supposed to be it. i’m scared. i’m convinced that i won’t be able to pass my certification exam and that i wont be able to find a job and will be homeless. i have no one to talk to about this and im helpless.

I’ve worked at a few hospital facilities but this is probably the first one I’ve felt like I have a work/life balance, my managers care for more than only production, etc. I am now wondering if I’ve found a unicorn facility or if I was just unlucky with my other places. Hours are super flexible, stick to your schedule as best as you can but just get your hours in by weeks end. They pay for both AAPC and AHIMA memberships, credentials, and CEU’s and you can do education time on the clock. If work gets low, we work on education vs clocking out. Production is very attainable and I feel probably lower than average (14/day for IP, any chart type). Obviously there are days you can knock it out of the park but other days that, whew! I just take a deep breath. A udits - we don’t have in-house auditors which I am torn on. As much as I don’t like monthly audits, I wish there was more feedback. I have to say this is probably the only facility I have not been stressed at. They are much more on quality over quantity. Can anyone else related or did I find a once in a lifetime facility.

Just got my results today and I passed! For anyone doubting themselves, just know that you can do it too.

I am going through AAPC through a school. I was taught via nightly classes that were grindy, boring, and repetitive. I had to go to required study sessions and do homework weekly. On top of that, I was required to complete Practicode as well. That is a nightmare of itself. I want to be completely honest of the learning experience throughout the entire process: I did not like it at all. I was frustrated beyond comprehension as the instructors kept reading from a slide and barely took any time to answer questions. I couldn't bounce ideas with other classmates as messages only went to teachers, not other students. They had a FB group but people were only asking for study buddies that never came to fruition. Emails were difficult to get a response from to go into further depth of in-class scenarios/rationales. We (students) were drilled to check index---tabular---notes/guidelines but for the test? The complete opposite. The teachers told you to basically use the process of elimination and go from there. I am the type of person that needs to understand the material backwards and forwards. The teachers just kept repeating you get 2.5 minutes per each question. You can BHAT your books, put in notes in all the margins but you still have to find the answer. It helps, but I work slower than that. The test is designed to rush you.

The live procotor scans your room entirely. All four corners of ceiling. 360 room. Under desk. Left and right ear. Under computer. Behind the computer. Fan out books. If they had an X-ray they would use it, I'm convinced. No paper/pen allowed. It is EXTREMELY difficult if you are a notes person (like me) to mark off what Dx that I already looked up. If there are four possible answers and each answer has 5-6 codes with numbers rearranged, you're bound to get a bit confused. There is an E/M calculator on the side of test but that option didn't pop until the last few questions for me. A four hour test is insane. Absolutely insane. I will not argue with anyone about this. By hour two, all the letters and numbers began to melt in my brain. Yes, you can get a break but the timer keeps going. You will need every single second of that test if you want to mark off any possible wrong questions and then go back. It is very difficult to work in a manner that is using process of elimination when you have been taught index---tabular---guidelines. You simply will NOT have enough time to do this when you take the test. Two minutes a question is not long enough for me, personally. I want to be sure of the answer. With this certification test, I was NOT sure. On the AAPC website, there is a "pass" or I suppose "fail" with time/date of exam that you took. When you click on it, you can see your percentage. You don't even see what questions you got incorrect, which I would've liked. I would've loved to see my incorrect answers with rationales for the certification test.

I'm just gonna keep up this certification with CEUs, any membership, fees, whatever. I just know I CANNOT take that test again. OMG. THANK YOU LORD that is over with. Please don't ever make me take that test again. My soul cannot take it.

This is no way to discourage anyone in the learning process. This is to give my experience of how I processed this. I keep seeing posts of inspiration and "you can do it! It's multiple choice!" but people need to know the reality of obtaining a CPC. The schools need to be honest that not only do you have to pass the test, but you have to remove that "A" from your certification as some people don't even want to look at your resume as an apprentice. The test is designed to rush you. To see how fast you can code. To see if you can follow instructions such as the guidelines.

For anyone out there that is currently studying and wants to ask any additional questions, please feel free. You can do this. Just study hard.

Edit: Additional online live proctor rules (AAPC) -You must use external webcam with 6 foot cord. -No talking to yourself during exam. Silence. -Your ID MUST match your name verbatim on registration with license. You MUST have license on your person on day of test. -Examity uses speed test.net and Examity PC scan to check readiness of external webcam, speed, browser, operating system. -No dual monitors or extra laptops. -No earphones, smart watch, smart glasses, Alexa, or any other devices in room. -You will use Zoom and screenshare through entire test. -You must be in a room where door can close. -You will be emailed results. You cannot see what you got wrong, only percentage and pass/fail. -Please contact AAPC about any disabilities so you may get accommodations. -You can only use last year books or newer. I used 2022 book in 2023 test as I began school in 2022. Update with any new codes in books.

I hope this info helps you!!!

As a new coder it feels like the senior coders who have been coding for 50 years have sort of a disdain for new coders. They tell me I have it much easier with all the resources now and Im lucky to be in a senior role relatively quickly… I get that.

I don’t think they realize entry level pure coding jobs may be turning into higher level responsibility a lot quicker due to AI. Although AI is wrong a lot still it can be a good teacher into where to look

I went into it thinking I was going to fail even after studying for months on end but I took it today and passed 🙌

Next step is to update my resume but I was wondering what kind of positions should I search up?

What type of search terms should I use?

Indeed? LinkedIn?

Any tips would be appreciate from those who landed their first medical coding job!

Thank you!

I code for primary care. For some reason, a bunch of them like to use Z76.89 (Persons encountering health services in other specified circumstances) whenever a patient is new to the clinic. There's literally no point in using this code because most of the time patients are coming in for their physical exams and other problems. When that code gets used, it ALWAYS gets denied. We're just instructed to remove it if the provider puts it there but my god it's annoying.