Medical Coding

The medical coding certificate program prepares students for a position as a coder in a hospital, physician office, clinic, long-term care facility, and other healthcare settings. Coders review patient health information, analyze and extract data, and ensure appropriate codes are assigned for internal and external data reporting, billing, research, and regulatory compliance.

Degrees 

  • Medical Coding Certificate of Achievement  (F.4627.CA)
  • Health Information Technology Associate in Science Degree (F.4623.AS)

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The Medical Coding Certificate is offered by the Allied Health, Physical Education & Athletics Division. For more information, contact Iris Villegas, HIT Instructor.

Courses and Information

  1. Biology Course for a foundation in understanding human anatomy
  2. Health Information Technology Courses
  3. General Education Requirements (required for the degree)

Check our Catalog for recommended sequence of courses.  See our Schedule of Classes to discover the days and times of classes.

 

FAQs

Tuition for the California Community College system is $46 per unit. A student will need 34 units of completion for this certificate, or a total of $1,564 in tuition costs. Financial Aid, if available to the student, can cover tuition. Attend or review our Financial Aid Zoom workshop noted above.

Textbooks for this program are approximately $1,700 for new books. You can also look for used book options and rental options to save money.

 

Required Fees:

  • Health fee ($21 per semester, $13 if off campus/online per semester)
  • Associated Student Body fee ($2 per semester, but opportunity to waive the fee at the time of registration if the student so chooses)

Optional fees:

  • Parking pass ($30 per semester)
  • Student ID card ($5)

A student can pay in one or a combination of ways: directly using a credit card, through a grant (review our Financial Aid videos below for grant information), or with a scholarship or fee waiver through partner programs:

The medical coding certificate program prepares students for a position as a coder in a hospital, physician office, clinic, long-term care facility, and other healthcare settings. Coders review patient health information, analyze and extract data, and ensure appropriate codes are assigned for internal and external data reporting, billing, research, and regulatory compliance.

Yes! The Medical Coding certificate is stackable — the units count — toward an associate degree in Health Information Technology or can be used as undergraduate coursework toward the transferring to a 4-year institution of higher education.

This Medical Coding program uses the same registration system as all California Community Colleges. A student must apply through CCCApply, if not already a California Community College student, in order to receive a student identification number. Once you have a student identification number, we can arrange for a counselor appointment to discuss the program and/or assist with registration through WebAdvisor.

The Medical Coding certificate is designed to offer all classes 100% online and can be completed in three semesters. Most classes are taught over a full semester, but classes are also offered over the 10-week summer session. Several of the courses have required pre-requisites, courses that must be taken in a sequence based on the knowledge needed to support successful completion of each course. Refer to the suggested course sequence map or meet with a counselor to determine the best way for you to achieve your goals.

The Medical Coding certificate includes a Medical Coding Directed Practice class, a supervised practice of required skills in a simulated or virtual setting.