Changing Career Paths – From Patient to Healthcare Worker

Can a liver transplant result in a new, successful career in healthcare? For Paul Cadorette, it certainly did. At age 35, he underwent two seperate liver transplants as the result of a rare disease, and though the first one failed, the second transplant held and he managed to recover. Unable to return to his manufacturing job and facing hefty medical bills, he needed a new line of work, and fast.

But Paul had discovered an interesting opportunity. After listening to his doctors explain his condition and their plans for treatment, he developed an interest in the medical field and soon registered for a medical terminology course. Before long, with several other courses already under his belt, he completed a sixteen-week training program in healthcare administration.

In order to become a Certified Coder, Paul gained experience at a surgery facility under the umbrella of a large management company called HealthSouth. There, he quickly landed a coding position and spent extensive time testing new programs and methods. Paul's hard work eventually paid off-he was promoted to manager and mentored other coders across the country. But Paul claims that the icing on the cake is when the relationship he had with one of his coders blossomed into something more-eventually, she became his wife.

These days, Paul is the Director of Education for MD Strategies, a company that provides coding services to physicians and ambulatory surgery centers throughout the United States. He enjoys the opportunity and challenges of growing a small company from home. From a patient in need of care to an agent of the healthcare industry itself...what better place to end up after a liver transplant?

You can enjoy Paul's success as well. If you're considering a career in coding, look for large medical groups or facility management companies that offer formal training and mentoring. Take a few courses to gain familiarity with the terminology and industry, but be honest with yourself – if you don't have the discipline to work from home or don't enjoy the field, then don’t go any farther. And don't be disappointed if you don't secure your dream job right away-gain the experience you need first and get yourself noticed. As long as you're willing to work for it, you'll discover your silver lining eventually.

Questions about becoming a coder? Ask Paul. Post your questions as a reply.

Paul Cadorette CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CEDC, COSC, CASCC
Director of Education
mdStrategies