Our celebrations for Nancy are threefold: she finished our Medical Billing & Coding Program, passed the challenging AAPC exam, AND started a new job! We reached out to Nancy to get a firsthand account of her experience at HBAS and the next steps on her career path:
“I first heard about HBAS in 2018 when I received a school catalog in the mail. At that time, I was looking to enter the medical field because it’s constantly evolving. I saw a lot of opportunities, especially in the field of Medical Billing and Coding. However, I was holding a full-time job—it didn’t look possible. Then the pandemic hit. This was my chance: HBAS was offering online classes.
Back to School
“In October 2020, I finally enrolled in the Medical Billing and Coding Program. I was excited and a little nervous; it had been a long time since I attended classes/school. My first class, Medical Terminology, was intimidating because the language is very different than regular verbiage. Instructor Pamela Canlas made it easy for us to understand.
When classes resumed in-person, I had to juggle a full-time job with my class schedule. Thankfully, my manager allowed me the flexibility to attend class. I'm especially grateful to HBAS instructors Nami Aoyagi, Nicole Craven and Tracy Foreman. Without their knowledge, expertise, and patience, I would have had a difficult time passing the program.”
A Step Further
“I completed the Medical Billing & Coding Program in Fall 2022, but I didn’t stop there. To give myself an edge in the field, I decided to also take the AAPC exam. I consider passing this exam as my finest accomplishment along with finishing my HBAS program.
A week after finishing my last class at HBAS, I was hired as a Medical Billing Assistant by Oak Health Center. I would like to acknowledge HBAS Job Developer Arlene Flores. By preparing me to take the next step in my career journey, Arlene encouraged me to have confidence in myself.”
Still Looking Forward
“As a Certified Professional Coder-Apprentice, my goal is to become a full-fledged certified professional coder and earn other credentials along the way. I am just getting started!
To anyone interested in furthering their education or starting a new career, I highly recommend enrolling at HBAS. If you have a passion in life, go for it! Today you can make the beginning of that promise…”
Thanks to Nancy for sharing her story with us. Students like her keep us excited and inspired!
Are you interested in the medical field? Learn more about the Medical Billing & Coding Program.