Experienced medical coder Kristi Pollard offered a few words of wisdom about a career in medical coding for next year in Government Health IT.
1. Find what area suits your skills best; not everyone is a great fit for medical coding.
2. New coders start from the bottom up; this means even experienced professionals switching careers should begin at the entry level.
3. Research each type of accreditation to learn about the demand before undergoing training.
4. Coders often have to go where the work is, often commuting to an office.
5. Be excited about coding as a career, but success is not automatic, she says.