Over the years, I have noticed that many people who want to become medical coders delay starting the journey. It is rarely because they lack the ability or intelligence. In many cases, the real reasons are pressure, lack of motivation, and feeling overwhelmed before the process even begins.
I remember when I was working as a coder earlier in my career. Although I enjoyed the work, the thought of taking the CIRCC certification exam still made me feel pressure. The possibility of failing the exam was always somewhere in the back of my mind. At the same time, preparing for the exam required long hours of studying, reviewing difficult cases, and learning complex coding guidelines. Some days the motivation simply was not there.
Another challenge was the amount of material. When you first look at the ICD-10-CM guidelines, CPT books, coding rules, and practice questions, it can feel overwhelming. Instead of seeing a clear path, you see a mountain of information. That feeling alone can cause people to delay getting started.
This reminds me of a friend of mine who worked as a medical biller. She often told me she wanted to become a coder. Every time I saw her on the bus going to work, I encouraged her to take a coding course and told her I would help her if she decided to pursue it.
Her answer was always the same.
She said she would start once her children finished school.
Later, when the children finished school, she said she wanted to spend the summer with them first. After the summer, she said she would begin studying when the kids returned to school.
When the fall arrived, she said she was busy taking care of the children after school.
Month after month passed. Then years passed.
Five years later she is still working in the same billing job that she never really enjoyed. One day she told me something that stayed with me. She said she felt she was getting older and no longer had the desire to pursue her dream of becoming a coder. Now she simply goes to work like everyone else, doing the job just to get through the day and earn a paycheck.
Hearing that made me realize how powerful delay can be. Sometimes the biggest obstacle is not difficulty or lack of opportunity. It is simply waiting too long to begin.
Many people wait for the perfect time to start. They wait until life becomes less busy, until they feel more motivated, or until everything feels organized. The truth is that the perfect moment rarely arrives.
The people who move forward are usually the ones who begin before they feel fully ready.
Start with something small. Just one chapter. When you finish it, pause and acknowledge your progress. Praise yourself. Give yourself credit. Sometimes even a small reward or simply telling yourself “good job” helps reinforce the habit and keeps you moving forward.
Progress happens slowly but surely.
It is also important to remember that discipline in learning is not just for passing an exam. It is a skill that will carry into your professional career. In medical coding the learning never stops. Guidelines change. Procedures evolve. The habit of continuous learning becomes part of the profession.
Think positively about the process. Write down a simple learning schedule. It does not have to be complicated. Even one hour every other day can move you forward. The most important part is consistency. Once you create a plan, commit to it and execute it.
Eventually studying becomes a habit. And when something becomes a habit, it requires much less effort. It becomes part of your routine, just like brushing your teeth in the morning. When you miss it, something feels off.
Looking back at my own experience and the many people I have met in healthcare, I have learned that progress rarely begins with a perfect plan. It usually begins with a simple decision to start.
Start small. Stay consistent. Progress builds confidence.
One step at a time. You can do it. I wish you all the best.
Hoang Nguyen, BS, CCS, CCS-P, CIRCC, CCVTC