Medical Coding

The Medical Coding program is a fully online, 72-week Associate in Specialized Business Degree. Medical coding and billing professionals manage the transformation of healthcare diagnoses, procedures, medical services and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes, and play a vital role in the connection between healthcare providers, patients and insurance companies. Students focus on creating, updating and maintaining accurate electronic health records.

The program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in any setting where healthcare is delivered. While there is a greater emphasis on medical billing and coding, the general education, office and business components give graduates greater career flexibility. The program culminates in an externship that the school helps arrange.

United Career Institute (UCI) is part of a family-owned group of tri-state schools focused on short-term career training, established in 2019 by West Virginia Junior College, which was founded in 1922. UCI offers accelerated, career-focused training so students can be ready for professional careers in two years or less, with caring and knowledgeable instructors who work closely with them in small on-campus and online classes.

• Institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
• A WE CARE approach centred on the school's core values, with a success team that supports each student from admissions to career search.
• Employers sit on advisory boards to keep the curriculum relevant, and UCI arranges externships with partner employers.
• Graduate Promise: extended career services at any time after graduation, and brush-up courses within the original curriculum at no additional tuition.
• Online classes with mobile access, 24/7 tech support and interactive labs, plus hands-on days at the Irwin, PA campus.

Applicants are admitted on the basis of a high school diploma, high school equivalency (TASC/GED, etc.), home school credentials or other evidence of successful secondary education completion recognized by the state, verified with independent documentation. Students applying for online courses need the required technology and computer skills. Specific programs may have additional requirements. The institution does not currently accept students who reside in California or New York.

Applicants meet with admissions, complete an Application for Admission and receive an admissions decision, then sign the enrollment agreement, pay the program fees and provide any other documentation required. Applicants for healthcare programs must have any required immunizations, clearances or other documentation on file before externships or clinicals. A one-time $25 application fee applies; it is waived for active duty, guard, reserve and honorably discharged veterans and their spouses or dependents.

UCI operates on a quarter-term calendar, with a new quarter beginning approximately every six weeks. Each course typically runs six weeks, with 100 minutes of instruction four days per week. Day classes may be held between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and night classes, if offered, between 4:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.; externships and clinical rotations may be scheduled any day or night as the site requires.

A full-time student carries 12 or more credit hours per term. The catalog advises that a full course load is equivalent to a full-time job: 12 to 15 class hours plus 24 to 30 hours of homework, or 36 to 45 hours of work each week.

Tuition for the Medical Coding degree is charged term by term: $3,995 per full-time term (12 or more credits), plus an Education Resource Fee of $495 per term. A one-time $25 application fee applies. Tuition is due at the beginning of each term, and payment may be deferred until financial aid is received for students relying on aid.

• Federal and state grants: federal grants based on need through the FAFSA; the Pennsylvania State Grant for Pennsylvania residents in a degree program.
• Student loans: federal student loans and PLUS loans for parents of dependent students.
• Institutional grants and scholarships: such as the Academic Success Grant, Nursing Pathway Grant and high school grants, for those who qualify.
• Veterans: Post-9/11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program.
• Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver: for eligible Pennsylvania youth who are or have been in foster care.

Graduates are prepared to work in a variety of healthcare settings, including clinics, insurance companies, hospitals, home health services, wellness centers and doctors' offices, and employment opportunities may also exist outside the medical field. The program cross-trains students in CPT/HCPCS and ICD-10-CM coding, medical insurance, health information management, electronic health records, advanced coding, quality management, billing and medical terminology.

Passing the CPC-A exam earns the CPC-A credential; the apprentice designation is removed once AAPC experience requirements are met. After the externship, students work with the career management team to search for coding opportunities. Some career paths may require additional training or experience.

Career management starts in admissions with a career planning session before classes begin, and each student's journey ends with a career management class working with the career management director on the job search. Career service benefits include career advising, five-year plan development, a professional externship, resume and cover letter help, pre- and post-interview assistance, and access to employment networks.

Externships and clinicals must be scheduled at the site's convenience and may fall on evenings or weekends; the institution assigns the site and students are responsible for their own transportation. Health requirements such as immunizations and a tuberculosis skin test must be met at the student's cost before the externship. Online students need a personal computer, internet access and an email account; Microsoft Office may cost $150 to $500.