The Coding Specialist program starts twice per year, spring (January) and fall (August) terms and consists of five online coding courses, if you have first completed the three prerequisite courses. Students entering the online Coding Specialist program must first have taken the following prerequisite courses within the last 12 months in order to enter the Coding Specialist program:

• Medical Terminology, XAHS 522, 6 weeks, $99
• Pathopharmacology, XAHS 508, 6 weeks, $99
• Healthcare Data, XAHS 514, 5 weeks, $99

The prerequisite courses are "the" important foundation to accurately code. Having a high level of competence in them is the only way to read and understand patient medical records in order to accurately code. The prerequisite courses above are not Scholarship eligible, they have been discounted, and must be paid by the student as they take each one.

You can register and pay for multiple courses upfront or you can register and pay as you go. As a medical coder, you analyze patient electronic health records, and physician notes, and assign the proper codes to any medical procedure and diagnosis. You are responsible for translating medical procedures into a coded form for reimbursement payment from insurance companies. TTC’s curriculum teaches toward two national certifications: AAPC credential CPC (Certified Professional Coder) and AHIMA credential CCA or CCS (Certified Coding Associate or Certified Coding Specialist). Both are recognized by employers. Learn More >

Once you have successfully completed this program, you are also eligible to continue your education with TTC and complete an Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Management.

If you currently work in health care and only need a few courses to prepare for a coding certification, you may enroll in just the courses you need. Contact the program manager, Judy Martin, for consultation or more information.

Healthcare Data and Electronic Health Records for Coding Part I

Study recordkeeping practices for electronic health records. Become familiar with patient record content and concepts regarding the use and maintenance of electronic health records. Explore procedures in the filing, numbering, and retention of patient records along with indexes and registers. Discover how to perform quantitative analysis. Learn the federal HIPAA guidelines for the release of patient information. Understand the regulatory and accrediting agencies associated with these records and the data contained within them.  This is the third and final prerequisite course in Part 1 of the Coding Specialist program Part II. Successful completion of Medical Terminology and Patho-pharmacology is required before taking this course. <b>Requirements: </b>Students mus<b>t</b> have daily access to a <b>computer with high-speed internet access, a webcam, and microphone</b>, Microsoft Office Suite, or equivalent, Adobe Flash Player and Acrobat Reader. <b><i>Using a phone or any mobile device to complete a course is <u>not </u>recommended or reliable.</i></b> Students must purchase the e-book access card for this course here:  Trident Technical College | Paradigm Education  This e-book access card is required for this course, approximately $120, at the TTC Bookstore.  9798385160600 TTC: CIR2 EHR3E DIG Trident Technical College: Cirrus 2.0 for Exploring Electronic Health Records, Third Ed <i>.</i> Students can self enroll and register for this course; simply 'add to cart', check out and pay online, or contact the Registration office at: ce.reg@tridenttech.edu  843-574-6152.  Coding Specialist Part I: Medical terminology, Patho-pharmacology, Healthcare data & EHR, all must taken in this order. Coding Specialist Part II: Health Insurance, I-10 coding, CPT coding. Webpage: https://tridenttech.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation&int_class_id=17998&int_category_id=2&int_sub_category_id=9&int_catalog_id=0 

COURSES AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRATION*

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Medical Coding Specialist Part II

Coding Specialist Part II - Scholarship eligible  Program Description: Medical Coders work in hospitals, and physician offices and read patient records containing medical terminology, medical procedures, disease diagnosis, and insurance information. This is a complex learning program, 73% of students who start the coding program are successful in completing it. Part II consists of 5 courses; in insurance and the core coding contents. Students will learn a great deal of information in a short period of time. Learning online is not for every student. All courses run consecutively. Coders must understand the basic sciences well, medical terminology, disease processes, and  the Health Insurance industry including Medicare and Medicaid in order to code accurately.  There are many rules for accurate coding and it takes a great deal of practice, research, and expertise to master. Coding instructors often state that learning medical coding is similar to learning a foreign language. The schedule is tightly scheduled to reduce the program length of time. Asynchronous learning allows students to <u>learn on their own schedule, within a certain timeframe; the start date, and the end date.</u>  The curriculum teaches toward <u>two national certifications</u> required by employers: the AAPC credential CPC (Certified Professional Coder) www.aapc.com the AHIMA credential CCA or CCS (Certified Coding Associate or Certified Coding Specialist) www.ahima.org To decide if medical coding is right for you please view these short videos from coding experts;   http://youtu.be/qlXKdUV_eRE  This video is a must-see!  https://youtu.be/tWBXte0RN8w  The difference between billing and coding. Requirements for Coding Part II: Part II registration and enrollment is held in June & July for the Fall semester. Apply early, registration closes Aug 1st. Students entering Part II are first required to have successfully completed Part 1, the 3 prerequisite courses within the past 12 months; medical terminology, pathopharmacology, and Healthcare Data & EHR. Students must have daily access to a computer with high-speed internet access, a webcam, and microphone, Microsoft Office Suite, or equivalent, Adobe Flash Player and Acrobat Reader. Using a phone or any mobile device to complete a course is <u>not </u>recommended or reliable. Students must purchase the online e-books. See below for costs. How to register for Coding Part II courses: Students must provide documentation of the three prerequisite courses taken, (within the past 12 months).  If a registered nurse, the prerequisites are not needed, simply include a copy of a current RN license with their Scholarship application and identification. Scholarship applications are available 2 months before the start date, and close 2 weeks before the start date. The 5 courses below must be taken in the order listed. Scholarships pay tuition only, students must purchase e-books. Email ConEd registration: ce.reg@tridenttech.edu  <b><i>Apply for the SC Wins Scholarship Application</i><i>, </i></b>and attach your ID:   https://www.tridenttech.edu/ce/funding/workforce-pathways-scholarship.htm Please read the page carefully. Page down and select the desired program. Please apply only once and attach ID. Applications without identification will not be considered. Coding Specialist Part II Online e-book costs: <u>e-Textbooks:</u>  Students must purchase Cengage Unlimited 12-month access subscription, used for all courses in the program, and are available at the TTC Bookstore, bldg 950, or online at Cengage.com. Do not activate until the course start date. <u>e-Coding manuals:</u>  Students must purchase the Optum Encoder Pro 12-month subscription, used for the 2nd thru the 5th  courses in Part II. This will take students through all 4 core coding courses in Part II below. Available at the TTC Bookstore, bldg 950. Do not activate until the course start date for ICD10-CM. Encoder Pro is needed FOR THE 2ND COURSE. Coding Specialist Part II schedule:   Part 2--           FALL 2025     XHIM-600-17998  Health Insurance xhim508> 8/11-9/29/25  I-10-CM coding xhim502> 9/30-11/21/25  I-10-PCS coding xhim503> 1/12-2/27/26  CPT 1 coding xhim509> 3/3-4/22/26 CPT 2 Coding Advd Part II  xhim 510> 4/27-6/21/26   Part 2           Spring 2026   Xhim-600-18254 1/20-3/4/26 3/9-4/24/26 4/28-6/19/26 6/23-8/12/26 8/17-10/11/26

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Medical Terminology - Part I Coding

Learning medical terminology well is necessary in order <u>to accurately code medical information</u>. Master the medical vocabulary and the terminology used in patient health records in this online course. Study word parts, root words, general application, abbreviations, medical terminology, and body systems. Medical terminology is the basic foundation needed for accurate coding.  To decide if medical coding is right for you <u>please view these short videos</u> from coding experts; http://youtu.be/qlXKdUV_eRE  This video is a must-see!  https://youtu.be/tWBXte0RN8w  The difference between billing and coding. The Coding Specialist Program Part I is needed to enter Part II of the Coding Specialist program. All courses run consecutively in the schedule. All 3 courses must be taken in this order. Part I prerequisite courses are not Scholarship-eligible.  Coding Specialist Part I consists of: medical terminology patho-pharmacology healthcare data & EHR <b>Requirements: </b>Students must have daily access to a <b>computer with high-speed internet access, a webcam, and microphone</b>, Microsoft Office Suite, or equivalent. <b><i>Using a phone or any mobile device to complete a course is <u>not </u>recommended or reliable.</i></b> <u>To Register</u>; students simply 'add to cart', check out and pay online. Deadline to register is one week prior to the start date. Special Notice: Online e-books are used in all courses in the Coding Specialist program, Part I & Part II; the Cengage Unlimited 12-month access card is available at the TTC Bookstore, bldg 950, check price. <u>This gives students access to all the e-textbooks needed in Medical Terminology, Pathopharmacology, Healthcare Data, and all the coding courses in Part II. </u>This 12-month access card can also be purchased online at cengage.com. This is great a cost saving for students. The Cengage Unlimited information is covered on the start day-Orientation of this course after logging into D2L. Students receive email login instructions one-week before the start date.  See the schematic track for the Coding Specialist parts I & II below, for students starting in Fall 2025: FALL 2025 PART 1-Prerequisites Part 1   Medical Terminology 8/11-9/19/25, XAHS522-18251  Pathopharmacology 9/22-10/31/25,  XAHS508-18255 HC Data  & E.H.R 11/3-12/11/25,  XHIM514-18253   Part 2 Part 2           Spring 2026   Xhim-600-18254 Health Insurance  1/20-3/4/26 I-10CM Coding 3/9-4/24/26 I-10 PCS Coding 4/28-6/19/26 CPT 1 Coding 6/23-8/12/26 CPT 2 Coding & Test Prep 8/17-10/11/26  

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Pathopharmacology - Part I Coding

Learn the diseases of the human body and the medications used to treat them. This is a prerequisite course required to enter the Coding Specialist Part II program. This course is not Scholarship eligible. To enroll in this course 'add to cart', pay and check out online, or contact the Registration office at ce.reg@tridenttech.edu . Students must register by one week prior to the start date. Prerequisite: Medical Terminology must be taken prior to taking this Pathopharmacology course.  <b>Students must</b> have daily access to a <b>computer with high-speed internet access, a webcam, and microphone</b>, Microsoft Office Suite, or equivalent, Adobe Flash Player and Acrobat Reader. <b><i>Using a phone or any mobile device to complete a course is <u>not </u>recommended or reliable.</i></b> Coding Specialist Part I consists of 3 prerequisite courses needed to enter Part II of the Coding Specialist program. All courses run consecutively in the schedule and must be taken in order as each course builds upon the next course, see below. Coding Specialist Part I: medical terminology, pathopharmacology, healthcare data & EHR. Coding Specialist Part II: health insurance, I-10 coding, CPT coding.

COURSES AVAILABLE FOR REGISTRATION*

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