5 minutes with... Jessica Green You've only just started in the medical administration field. What is your background? What are you doing now and why? How will you do that? What do you think is your biggest negative at the moment? What will you do to make yourself more appealing to future employers? How will you decide which certification is best for you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
I have always had an interest in the medical side of things. My mother is a nurse and she has worked for several different doctors over the years including a plastic surgeon and a couple of general practitioners and during that time I have been in their offices and seen the back and front operations. I didn't want to be a nurse (I don't too well with blood and needles) but I'm fascinated by the administration and paperwork. I think that eventually I would like to run a practice for a physician and work my way up to running a group practice. I am happy to do my time until I am absolutely confident in all aspects of the business. I am only young so there's plenty of time.
I recently graduated from a course in medical billing and coding at a local college. I've started working in front desk for a family practice doctor and I'm learning quite a lot about insurances and dealing with the public. There are days where it's quite challenging and others where it's great fun. Dealing with the public is really interesting but I would like to do use my knowledge more.
The obvious answer is to be on the billing and coding team but everyone has been here at least 4 years and shows no sign of leaving. I don't blame them as it's really a nice working environment and the office manager and doctor are so easy to work for but I'm left somewhere in the middle. The team are more then happy to show me things but at the end of the day it's their job and they do it. I can see myself working here for a year in front desk but eventually I'll have to leave to move up. That's just the way things are in small practices sometimes.
Obviously, I'm lacking in experience but I'm really excited about starting my career and I want to make sure that I do it right. I know I have potential as an employee and I hope that either in this position or the next that my employers recognize that and teach me as much as possible. I really want to learn every aspect of the practice administration business and I want to be sure that I do it well too.
I've got to make myself learn as much as I can with the opportunities that come my way in this next year. One of the things that I will do on my own is to become certified with some billing or coding certification. I really need to look into which one will suit me best. It's great that some of the certifications allow for the "Apprentices" as it's hard to get experience for the job but you can't get the experience without the job. It's a typical story heard by everyone at least once in their life. Hopefully by becoming certified, future employers can tell that I'm serious, determined and prepared.
I need to figure out which one is the best for future employers. I'll look into jobs that I think that I like and see what they're requiring. Fingers crossed I'll be able to pass which one I choose to do too!
I would like to be working for a larger medical practice in their billing and/or coding department. I'm still not sure if a specialty is where I want to be or with a family practice. I'll learn more over the next year and that will help me make the decision.