If you have ever asked yourself this very question, pull up a chair and prepare to stare at the answer. If you are anal-retentive, obsessive-compulsive, and able to spot a miniscule fuzzball on any color of carpet, then read on. If you don't care about details or worry about one minor mess up here and there, if you don't breathe perfection to your very core, then go read another article.

Simply put, medical coding is for those of us that cannot let the little things go. We coders live in a world of insurance companies and patients, caught in the middle of the war that seems to rage forever. We cannot take sides in the battle, however. We must know every law that was ever written(at least that's what it feels like)regarding Medicare and claim submission and also that little word fraud. We have to fear that one the most.

Medical coders unravel the mystery of doctor's handwriting (yes, I know it's shocking), and that ever elusive thing called the medical record. We must be detectives in everything that we do.

I know that the above description may scare some into rethinking the profession. However, let me tell you that if you want to do something rewarding,challenging, and worthwhile, helping patients in the way that matters most (after the medical treatment): Healing their wallets, then medical coding is for you.

In order to pursue this career-path, there are several things that must take place. Number one: Research, research, research, (oh, and did I mention, research?). You need to know what you are getting yourself into. This is something you better get used to by the way, half of your free-time will be spent researching advances in treatment, new procedures, new ways of coding, and on and on. You must be willing to spend outside time, there simply aren't enough hours in the day to learn everything you need to learn. You will be spending your day at work swamped with so many things you won't know which space on your desk to fill up next.

The second thing you need to do is take a class. You need to learn the basics, but don't expectg to learn everything you will need to know. This WILL NOT happen. You will learn so many new things on a daily basis when you get your first job that you could never learn just sitting in a classroom. Don't ever think you know everything, in this profession be prepared to change and accept new ideas,or go do something else.

Then,here's the biggie: get certified. This will scare the wits out of you! You have to take a 5 and a half hour test that you feel like you'll never pass, but trust me, just take the class and believe in yourself, and you'll do fine if you really took the class seriously.

If you do all of the above, you are ready to begin your journey as a coder. There are so many things you can do once you reach that first milestone. Every doctor's office in this country needs a coder.

Anytime anyone goes to the doctor there is a coder behind a door somewhere trying to make sure the patient doesn't have to worry, the doctor gets paid, and the world continues. We may not be heroes, but we are something special!

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Reynolds.
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