After you learn how to become a medical billing and coding specialist you can decide whether this job is right for you. As a medical biller and coder your job duties will include calculating, preparing and sending bills to patients on behalf of a hospital, doctor’s office or medical practice. There are more than half a million medical coders and billers and the United States, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics foresees a steady growth in this industry in the years to come. If this sounds like something you’d like to do, then read on.

Many people choose to become a medical billing and coding specialist because the job does not require as much schooling as other medical careers. You can finish a medical billing and coding program at a fast-paced vocational school in less than a year. The average pay ranges from $ 20,000 for entry-level jobs in areas with a low cost of living to $ 40,000 for more skilled jobs in bigger cities. And, many schools provide career services to help graduates find employment.

Once you have completed the training to become a medical billing and coding specialist you will need a résumé. Whether your school provides career services or not, you will need to be able to put together a good résumé if you want to have a career in this or any other field. There are plenty of online resources that will show you how to prepare a medical billing and coding specialist résumé. You can choose to pursue a more traditional career in an office within a hospital or doctor’s office, or you can work from home either telecommuting with one employer or finding freelance job assignments through a reputable bidding site.

In order to be successful as a medical billing and coding specialist you will need to be well organized and hard-working. You will need to be able to perform your job accurately even after you have been crunching numbers and entering data for hours on end. The work is steady, though, so if you are up for the challenge you will always have a place in the healthcare industry.