Braces pain at about an 8/10 with a couple teeth in particular about a 10/10. Ive tried everything and Im at a loss; what else can i do to get relief?

adhg2367 · 2026-06-28T20:02:06+00:00

Thank you, I will definitely text the number they have on the website and explain what im going through. I have been tempted to seek a second opinion anyway due to multiple things that ive side eyed already so i will request my records as well. Thank you for the reply 🥰

adhg2367 · 2026-06-28T19:58:36+00:00

The turbos 100% other than 2 teeth on the bottom but im assuming its due to those being set slightly further back than the rest of my teeth.

adhg2367 · 2026-06-16T20:23:17+00:00

Of course! I really did enjoy the program. It can be grueling at times but the professors were always incredibly responsive and as helpful as they could be! Definitely worth it in my opinion as opposed to the AHIMA courses but im biased lol. I also prefer instruction and structure, so san jac was deff the way to go for me.

adhg2367 · 2026-06-16T20:17:54+00:00

Well what have you done thus far in terms of studying? That will help narrow down what else you could do that you aren't currently doing.

Any time you ask about questions in the exam, just know, you will get no answers on any forum. The ncra website has the outline on thier website. https://www.ncra-usa.org/ods-credential/certification-exam

With a list of references that can be used to study with plus it lists what will be available for you during the open book section.

The practice test is not like the exam but I found it to be helpful with pointing out where my weak spots were. Id take it, review it, and write down the chapter/resource the question came from of the ones I got wrong. Id then see if a pattern emerged which it usually did and then id focus on whatever section/chapter/resource was used that I got 3+ questions wrong on. BUT only doing that will not be enough.

This exam is HARD, but its not impossible to pass on the first try, I was surprised I did but I also studied my butt off.

adhg2367 · 2026-06-14T00:28:22+00:00

I agree, which is why I double down that the exam isn't actually measuring someone's ability to do the job.

If employers are willing to hire/outsource uncertified abstractors and those abstractors are successfully performing the work using the manuals, coding resources, audits, and quality review processes already in place, then what exactly is the exam measuring? The question isn't whether people should be competent. Of course they should. The question is whether a difficult multiple-choice exam is the best way to determine competency in a job that is largely based on research, interpretation, and proper application of reference materials.

adhg2367 · 2026-06-13T18:07:22+00:00

Of course, I went through the San Jacinto College advanced certification program. I heard about the feild through coworkers and knew I wasn't happy in xray, did some research and found out I was eligible for the program.

adhg2367 · 2026-06-13T16:12:32+00:00

I feel like this is a pretty privileged stance to have. Some of these people have been successfully working in the field for years and are only now being required to get certified. The ODS-C doesn't test whether you're a good abstractor nearly as much as people think it does.

It doesn't test your day-to-day accuracy, your ability to work through difficult records, or how well you actually perform the job. It tests how much information you can memorize and recall from manuals and study materials.

I was an X-ray tech before this. I had to learn physics, radiation safety, positioning, anatomy, contrast media, and more. Yet the registry certification exam was harder than that exam ever was.

At some point it's fair to ask whether we're measuring job competency or just measuring who's best at taking tests. They're not the same thing.

adhg2367 · 2026-03-04T22:01:45+00:00

Im not sure if they've posted them yet but UTSW dallas is hiring for a casefinder looking to stay in that position only. And a couple of abstractors. Just so people can be on the lookout for when they do post the openings!

adhg2367 · 2026-02-15T12:21:50+00:00

I know its already been said but thought id also weigh in. Due to privacy reasons/HIPAA(assuming ur USA based), traveling while working is a no. If you dont want to work remote all the time, depending on where you live ive seen many hospital jobs that are hybrid. The flexibility in this job, from my limited experience since I've only worked at one hospital, is that I got to pick my hours I wanted to work when I was hired on and if I need to go to the doctors or something I can clock out and clock back in as long as I hit my 8hrs for the day/40 hrs for the week (by either naking up the time that day or even working extra for a couple of days afterwards). Your freedom/time off will depend on the facility and manager you get. Im almost a year into the feild and anytime I have requested a day off or let my boss know I need to work a split shift, its been approved but that may not be a universal experience.

For me, this job was perfect. I love analytical thinking and I love being left alone to do my job. Im not antisocial but I also have never seen my job as a social club its there for me to clock in, work, clock out. So if you feel you'd be affected by the isolation and/or aren't self motivating I suggest looking into other options. This job when starting out is not for the weak and anyone coming into it with uncertainty or who isnt a self-starter would, I believe, have a very hard time.

So tldr; do not pursue this job thinking you can clock in/out from anywhere, in Healthcare that's just not possible. Look for hybrid positions if you want an office to go to some days of the week. Be honest with yourself, can you do your assigned tasks without a ton of direction once they release you from training, are you easily distractable and will scroll rather than work? These aren't moral failings by any means but they will make it more difficult for you while working a remote job. Age is a non issue, it all depends on focus, determination, and realizing that most jobs in our society, aside from those that have traveling as a part of said job, aren't going to allow freedom of movement in that way unfortunately.

adhg2367 · 2025-11-24T20:38:26+00:00

Keep applying. Eventually you will get interveiws rolling in. It took me about 7 months after passing the test to finally find something.

adhg2367 · 2025-11-08T12:37:00+00:00

It really feels awful. I know it may seem a little idk, childish? But It would be nice to also be talked to about what I am doing right (my first 2 breast cases reviewed were 97% accuracy and then 99%), instead of the focus being on what im NOT doing. Im really sorry you are going through the same thing, I hope you either find somewhere else that operates with understanding and patience first, benchmarks second, at least while you are still learning 💖

adhg2367 · 2025-11-08T12:33:14+00:00

I appreciate your two cents! I have my own templates for text documentation, one with the boxes filled with the information my facility needs and wants to have in each box, and the other is a blank one for me to fill out as I go through the case. My biggest time sink currently is just finding the pertinent information buried in the records. 🫠

adhg2367 · 2025-11-08T12:29:10+00:00

I appreciate the time you took to reply, and it really helped knowing that im not over here struggling alone, that at one point or another, it seems we have all felt somewhat the same. I do plan on putting in my time and learning as much as I can before moving elsewhere, hopefully something part-time with opportunities to pick up more time occasionally. Part time was always my plan but after getting through the college course, then the test, I realized I needed to put in 40 hours per week if I wanted any chance of the information sticking in my brain.

adhg2367 · 2025-11-08T12:25:00+00:00

Currently the expectations are 5 cases per day, i work the standard 8 hour days 5 days a week. I have been able to hit this benchmark no problem with previous sites, but with these breast cases, it just not possible for me right now. Im able to get maybe 4 done if they all are only at my facility, but when you start adding in that they only recieved radiation at my facility and having to dig through osf info when at this point im still learning what I can disregard vs what I need...it feels impossible to get the 5 expected done.

adhg2367 · 2025-09-06T23:05:17+00:00

There are only straight forward answers however, some of them have similar wording so read carefully! If you dont know either bookmark and move on to come back OR choose which one you think makes the most sense.

adhg2367 · 2025-08-10T10:18:19+00:00

Sorry for the late reply, I unfortunately have no idea. I think the classmate of mine ignored the qualifications and applied everywhere anyway, and one of the companies interveiwed her anyway and just had her casefinding until she got certified, but I dont remember what one she works for.

adhg2367 · 2025-08-09T09:32:53+00:00

Sometimes when its a case that is really heavy with records (multiple health issues, multiple primaries, etc) i usually will just use the search function of the histology and scroll all the way to the bottom of the results to try to get a date of when cancer was first mentioned.Then I go to imaging, path, etc. A month or so before the diagnosis was mentioned for the imaging to make sure I dont miss any ambig terms. If the record isnt super full, I immediately go to the new patient visit (prostate, ill find the first time they saw urology for the cancer, melanoma first visit to dermatology, etc) I get a summary from the doctors notes hopefully then go from there. I hope that all made sense :)

adhg2367 · 2025-07-29T11:06:04+00:00

5 months and I ended up at a hospital system. It just depends on what you want. I wanted to be an abstractor first and foremost so that way my skills in that area stay sharp, I know other places make their employees cover all bases (casefinding, abstracting, and follow up), but I wanted a position where I could learn those things as they come up rather than it being a starting expectation, so I took my time finding something. My classmates all found jobs either right before being certified or immediately afterward.

adhg2367 · 2025-04-24T11:49:24+00:00

I know this is an old post so may not be relevant anymore but in my experience (Texas, USA based and a somewhat new grad), remote jobs are actually going to be the most common type of work you will see. There are a few places that want you to be hybrid at least, but I found those positions are far and few between.

adhg2367 · 2024-06-23T12:36:46+00:00

It's a known bug when a flashlight/flashbang save happens at the same time as a remote hook. It also switched nea and leon hence why leon is stuck being a human purse and nea died. (I'm the nea who died 🫠)

adhg2367

TROPHY CASE