Medical Coding Specialist Certificate

The Medical Coding Specialist Certificate is designed to prepare students for employment as medical coders. Medical coders are health information professionals who specialize in analyzing health record documentation and determining diagnoses and procedures required for reporting purposes. Medical codes determined by medical coders are used primarily for reimbursement purposes; however, medical codes are also used for public health, research, operational and organizational planning, and benchmarking purposes in healthcare.

The work of medical coders requires knowledge of biomedical sciences, healthcare delivery, health information technology, and health record documentation. Therefore, the rigor of this certificate provides students with challenging curricula in these domains.

Medical coders traditionally work in hospitals, ambulatory healthcare facilities, and physician offices to code records for reimbursement purposes. However, some medical coding professionals use their knowledge and expertise for non-traditional employment opportunities with third-party payers, medical software vendors, and the government (among others).

The healthcare industry depends on highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals in all areas of practice. Therefore, individuals considering a career in medical coding should recognize the importance of earning medical coding credentials after completion of this certificate program. Credentialing in healthcare is often required for employment, demonstrates professional competence, and illustrates a commitment to one's profession. Successful completion of this program prepares students to sit for either the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and/or the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and/or Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credentialing examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

(Major Code 4660; CIP Code 51.0713)

Medical Information and Revenue Management Program web page

First Semester

BIOL 144	Human Anatomy and Physiology*	5
HC 130	Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions	3
HCIS 255	Technology Concepts in Healthcare	2
MATH 116	Intermediate Algebra* (or higher) (Note: Students planning to pursue undergraduate degrees in health information management or healthcare administration should take MATH 171 College Algebra.)	3
MIRM 140	Fundamentals of Health Records	2
Total Hours		15

Second Semester

ENGL 121	Composition I*	3
HCIS 271	The Culture of Healthcare	2
MIRM 141	Computer Systems for Health Information Management Professionals*	3
MIRM 142	Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare	3
MIRM 143	Coding Classification Systems I*	3
Total Hours		14

Third Semester

BIOL 227	Human Pathophysiology*	4
MIRM 144	Coding Classification Systems II* (Note: Students are recommended to concurrently enroll in BIOL 227)	3
MIRM 145	Reimbursement Methodologies*	3
MIRM 147	Introduction to Pharmacology*	2
Total Hours		12

Fourth Semester

MIRM 146	Coding Classification Systems III*	3
MIRM 148	Medical Coding Internship* (Note: Students must complete all other required certificate coursework with a "C" or higher grade to enroll in this course.)	1
Total Hours		4

Total Program Hours: 45

MIRM 198	Medical Coding Credential Exam Preparation*	2
Note: MIRM 198 is recommended for those interested in the credential examinations.

*

This course has registration requirements.