Medical Coding Specialist
Medical Coding Specialist Technical Diploma
Program Code: 31-530-2
For more information: www.wctc.edu/med-coding
Medical coders review physician documentation in records in order to assign diagnoses and procedure codes used for reimbursement and data purposes. Medical coders work in hospitals, physician’s offices, other healthcare facilities and insurance companies. In this program, learn two different systems in order to assign codes to the reimbursement systems for inpatient and outpatient coding.
The minimum required course grades and program grade point average (GPA) for students under this catalog are:
Core Courses = C
General Studies Courses = C
Program GPA = 2.0
Build your degree along a career pathway. Start with a couple of courses or an entry-level credential to enter the job market in your area of interest, then continue with higher credentials on your educational path for job advancement and higher wages.
Career Pathway
Program Outcomes
1. Collect health data.
2. Model professional behaviors and ethics.
3. Use electronic applications to support coding and data collection.
4. Apply coding and reimbursement systems.
Critical Life Skills
To help our students prepare for success in a workplace and society that is increasingly global, multicultural and collaborative, we provide curricular and co-curricular opportunities to develop critical life skills. WCTC is committed to teaching all students the following skills:
- Communication: Demonstrate appropriate communication.
- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Demonstrate critical thinking skills to analyze situations and solve problems.
- Relationships: Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills.
- Self-management: Demonstrate responsible and respectful behavior.
Listed below are the required courses for the program. To view the recommended sequence for taking courses click on the plan of study tab(s) above. Work with your Academic Advisor to design a program plan!
View your Program Matrix to find out when each course will be offered (term and time of day).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| 501-301 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| 501-307 | Digital Literacy Healthcare | 2 |
Approved Substitute: 501-107 | ||
| 530-159 | Healthcare Revenue Management | 3 |
Approved Substitute: 530-185 | ||
| 530-162 | Foundations of HIM | 3 |
Approved Substitute: (530-176 and 530-181) | ||
| 530-165 | Intermediate Coding | 3 |
Approved Substitute: 530-195 | ||
| 530-182 | Human Diseases for Hlth Profes | 3 |
| 530-184 | CPT Coding | 3 |
| 530-197 | ICD Diagnosis Coding | 3 |
| 530-199 | ICD Procedure Coding | 2 |
| General Studies | ||
| 806-189 | Basic Anatomy | 3 |
Approved Substitute: 806-177 | ||
| Total Credits | 28 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term 1 | Credits | |
| 501-301 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| 806-189 | Basic Anatomy | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 501-307 | Digital Literacy Healthcare | 2 |
| 530-182 | Human Diseases for Hlth Profes | 3 |
| Credits | 5 | |
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 530-184 | CPT Coding | 3 |
| 530-197 | ICD Diagnosis Coding | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 530-199 | ICD Procedure Coding | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Term 1 | ||
| 530-165 | Intermediate Coding This course runs 16 weeks. | 3 |
| 530-162 | Foundations of HIM | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 530-159 | Healthcare Revenue Management | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 28 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring Term 1 | Credits | |
| 501-301 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| 806-189 | Basic Anatomy | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 530-182 | Human Diseases for Hlth Profes | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| 501-307 | Digital Literacy Healthcare | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Fall Term 1 | ||
| 530-184 | CPT Coding | 3 |
| 530-197 | ICD Diagnosis Coding | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 530-199 | ICD Procedure Coding | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 530-165 | Intermediate Coding This course runs 16 weeks. | 3 |
| 530-162 | Foundations of HIM | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 530-159 | Healthcare Revenue Management | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 28 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term 1 | Credits | |
| 501-301 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 806-189 | Basic Anatomy | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 530-184 | CPT Coding | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 530-182 | Human Diseases for Hlth Profes | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Term | ||
| 501-307 | Digital Literacy Healthcare | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Fall Term 1 | ||
| 530-197 | ICD Diagnosis Coding | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 530-199 | ICD Procedure Coding | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 530-162 | Foundations of HIM | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 530-159 | Healthcare Revenue Management | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Term 1 | ||
| 530-165 | Intermediate Coding This course runs 16 weeks. | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 28 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Term 1 | Credits | |
| 530-184 | CPT Coding | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 530-182 | Human Diseases for Hlth Profes | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 501-301 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 806-189 | Basic Anatomy | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Term | ||
| 501-307 | Digital Literacy Healthcare | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Fall Term 1 | ||
| 530-162 | Foundations of HIM | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Fall Term 2 | ||
| 530-159 | Healthcare Revenue Management | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 530-197 | ICD Diagnosis Coding | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Spring Term 2 | ||
| 530-199 | ICD Procedure Coding | 2 |
| Credits | 2 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Spring Term 1 | ||
| 530-165 | Intermediate Coding This course runs 16 weeks. | 3 |
| Credits | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 28 | |