Certificate in Medical Coding
Rutgers’ Top Medical Coding Program Offered Online
Our Medical Coding Certificate program prepares students with the skills to classify and code medical data from inpatient, outpatient, and physician office records.
Medical coding a skill in high demand in all health care settings. Coded data is also critical to medical research, medical and allied health education, vital statistics, or planning and monitoring public health. The current shortage of qualified coders has resulted in many perks on the job that may including flexible hours, sign-on bonuses, and the potential to work from home. In addition, consulting and travel opportunities are abundant.
Program Highlights
The medical coding certificate program requires 21 credits, 7 courses which are offered in specific sequence over a period of 2 years, part-time. All course work is completed 100% online. The program only starts in the Fall. Courses completed as part of the medical coding certificate are transferable into the BSHIM program.
Goals
- To prepare competent coding professionals for employment in all types of health care facilities.
- To prepare students to meet the needs of the industry which has a workforce shortage in this area of expertise.
- To educate students in the content areas essential for attaining the credential of Certified Coding Specialist or Certified Coding Associate offered by AHIMA.
- To provide a specialty certification for students currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program.
Program Objectives
At the conclusion of the program the student will be able to:
- Evaluate medical documentation to determine codable diagnoses and procedures in accordance with established coding guidelines.
- Apply appropriate codes from ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, ICD-9-CM, and CPT-4 coding schemes to various health encounter scenarios in medical documents using coding manuals and encoder software.
- Evaluate reimbursement methodologies for correctness of assignment.
- Perform analysis of reimbursement methodologies through case mix analysis.
- Audit coded data to determine accuracy and correct deficiencies.
Medical coders may work in acute or ambulatory care settings, health insurance companies, or other health data abstracting, reporting and analysis functions that require medical coding knowledge. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical records technicians is projected to grow 9 percent from 2020 to 2030 (BLS, 2021).
Questions?
To learn more, email Program Director Dasantila Sherifi, Ph.D. at him@shp.rutgers.edu
Admissions Criteria
Requirements
- Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED certificate and be computer literate as many courses in the program are online.
- Applicants must have completed Anatomy and Physiology I & II with a grade of C or better prior to the start of program courses.
Students who complete the coding certificate courses often continue on toward a bachelor of science in Health Information Management. All courses in the certificate program count toward the BS HIM degree. To see more information on the bachelor’s degree click here.
Tuition & Fees
SHP Tuition and Fees
For Tuition and Fees, please see the Graduate Tuition and Fees.
(Scroll down to 2024-2025 Rutgers Health Tuition and Fee Rates and click on School of Health Professions)
Curriculum
In our fully online, 21-credit Medical Coding Certificate Program, students learn to classify medical data from inpatient, outpatient, and physician office records. The ability to effectively and efficiently code data is critical to medical research, medical and health education, and planning and monitoring public health.
Students will study medical terminology, disease pathology, International Classification of Disease (ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and reimbursement systems in the United States.
Our program faculty have extensive experience in both inpatient and outpatient coding. This provides valuable practical knowledge for the classroom setting.
Students who complete the coding certificate courses can continue on and achieve a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management. All courses in the certificate program count toward the BS HIM degree.
Click here for a list of required courses.
HIM Education Options
| Area of Comparison | MSHIM | BSHIM | Certificate in HIM | Medical Coding Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degree | Master of Science in HIM | Bachelor of Science in HIM | Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in HIM | Academic Certificate in Medical Coding |
| Accreditation Status | CAHIIM accreditation in process; in Candidacy Status | Accredited by CAHIIM | Accredited by CAHIIM | |
| Eligibility to sit for the RHIA exam | Yes | Yes | Yes | N/A |
| Certifications that may be pursued with this education | RHIA, CHDA, CHPS | RHIA, CCA, CCS, CCS-P, CHDA, CHPS | RHIA, CHDA, CHPS | CCA, CCS, CCS-P |
| Starting point | Fall | Fall | Fall | Fall |
| Number of Credits | 36 | 61 | 49 | 21 |
| Program length- FT | 2 years | 2 years (includes 1 summer) | 2 years (includes 1 summer; 1 year FT; 1 year PT) | N/A |
| Program length- PT | 3 years | 3 years | 3 years (includes 2 summers) | 2 years |
| Course offering | 100% Online | Online (except for PPE) | Online (except for PPE) | 100% Online |
| Professional Practice Experience (PPE) | None | 75 hours during the last semester (Spring) | 75 hours during the last semester (Spring) | None |
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* Courses must be completed with a grade of C or better.