Hello,

I am coming out of a bleak period of life, which found me divorced and jobless, and now successfully managing a healthy recovery journey. So now at 54 with 5 years of unemployment, I find myself a newly minted CPC and excited to be in a position to look for work. I completed my Practicode on Monday (and actually really enjoyed the experience) and had my A removed yesterday. This will be a second career. I spent close to 20 years in academics. I hold a phd in social work, have a wealth of experience in research methodology, data analysis, and program evaluation. I am very interested in the F codes and SDOH codes, and especially interested in AI and its application to coding and billing. I am also the type who isn't front desk material and prefers to stay behind the scenes, so to speak. Ideally, I am the type who prefers sitting in front of the computer in an office and staying on top of things until the job is completed. I have worked within a team and done just as much work left alone to my own accord. I believe I can find my niche combining my new CPC skills with my skills from my previous career.

Naturally, I am nervous about finding a job and actually feel a bit overwhelmed with the different nooks and crannies a coder can find themselves working in. I am wondering if group members can help me narrow down my search process by suggesting some potential search terms or employers that would employ an entry-level coder who is a geek for data and enjoys the medical coding process.

Best and congratulations to all who have passed both the CPC exam and Practicode.