[wemple2]

I had worked as a Medical Assistant in a doctors office for 22 years...the doctor retired and I took a job in Medical Records at our local hospital...just got "let go" due to a reduction in work force, yes, the hospitals are hurting right now too. But anyway, the transcriptionist and coders all still have their jobs. I've toyed with the idea of getting certified as a coder...but I do not want to EVER work for the hospital again. There is entirely too much politics and back stabbing there for me. But clinics and offices also need coders and transcriptionist. I'd say the hardest part of being a transcriptionist, if you are a fast and accurate keyboarder, is you must have the ability to understand many, many foreign accents...because the doctors dictate very quickly and not always easy to understand. Now for coding...you would not have that problem. My suggestion is to call the director or supervisor of Health Information/Medical records at the hospitals and ask what schools are accredited and what level of certification is best to pursue. Good luck...I think coding is an up and coming career choice.