Part of my passion for teaching at Calbright comes from my own terrible experience in online education as an adult student. I want to do things differently because I want Calbright students to have a better experience, and Calbright is a college where we can.
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher, journalist, or accountant, but I wasn’t sure how that would happen. I grew up without much money, and I was not encouraged to go to college after high school. I attended a “career college” in my 20s and learned what I needed to work in the healthcare field as a medical office administrator. After working in healthcare for 15 years in different roles, I got my first job teaching at a career college to teach others how to work in the healthcare office.
It was during this time that I was finally able to go back to school as an online student to obtain my degrees and was also required to obtain my Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification by the college that I was teaching for. What I found in online education was very disengaging. I also discovered that I really had no idea what to expect or do once I obtained my CPC certification to keep it current. The online college I was attending didn’t have professional resources or coaching I could use to advance my career.
It is because of these experiences that I make sure that my Medical Coding students at Calbright have a program that is engaging, and that they have clear and ongoing support for their careers, to get jobs and to keep their CPC current. I don’t just want them to get their credentials, I want to help connect them with their future careers.
That’s why when I attended the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) national conference in Las Vegas, I shared the experience with my students in the CPC program here at Calbright. I did a live stream on Zoom with them to show them what a conference is like. I showed them the excitement of everyone in one room together and networking, I talked about the different breakout sessions, and most importantly why attending conferences is beneficial. It was exciting to be able to share some of the experience with them.
Students can succeed going through the traditional college system, but for working adults it can be a very difficult, lonely, experience. It was for me. It shouldn’t have to be difficult and lonely. We can do better together. That’s a big part of what motivates my teaching here at Calbright.
– Written by Cindy Carney, who teaches the Medical Coding Program at Calbright. Cindy has worked in the healthcare industry since 1995, and teaching Medical Office Admin, Billing, and Coding since 2010.
Calbright’s Medical Coding program will re-open for enrollment in November for a limited student cohort. See additional Calbright programs here
