Behind every healthcare service is information that must be accurately documented, coded, and processed. Medical records specialists bring these skills to healthcare organizations and help support the administrative processes surrounding patient care and reimbursement.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of medical records specialists to grow 8% nationally from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. Approximately 14,000 openings are projected each year, on average, over the decade. The median annual wage for medical records specialists was $51,140 in May 2025. Indeed states that the average annual salary for medical billers in Tennessee is $59,267.

Certification and experience can also influence earning potential. According to AAPC's 2025 Salary Survey, medical records specialists without certification earned an average of $61,022 annually, while certified professionals averaged $66,186 per year—8.5% more than their noncertified peers.

The Memphis region also has an established healthcare workforce. According to May 2025 BLS data, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations accounted for 6.2% of employment in the Memphis metropolitan area and earned a mean hourly wage of $47.14.

What is medical billing and coding? What does a medical biller and coder do?
Medical billing and coding are closely connected functions that help turn patient care information into accurate healthcare records and insurance claims. Medical coders review documentation and assign standardized codes to diagnoses, procedures, and services. Medical billers use that coded information to prepare claims and help facilitate reimbursement from insurance payers.

Depending on the position, a professional may specialize in one area or perform both billing and coding responsibilities.

Where do you work as a medical biller and coder?
Medical billers and coders work throughout the healthcare industry. Potential settings include hospitals, physicians' offices, insurance organizations, government agencies, and companies specializing in medical billing, coding, or healthcare technology.

Some positions may also offer remote-work arrangements because much of the work involves electronic health records and digital claims information. Availability varies by employer, position, and experience.

What happens when I complete the course?
After successfully passing the final exam, you will receive a certificate of completion through the school or organization where you registered.

You will also receive applicable study materials and a voucher for your choice of the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam from AAPC, Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam from AHIMA, or Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam from NHA.

• Understand medical coding terminology, including the structures and functions of the human body
• Identify disorders and medical procedures common to each body system
• Understand legal, ethical, and regulatory concepts, including HIPAA compliance and third-party guidelines for filing insurance claims
• Learn the main coding systems, including ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Level II
• Learn how to code diagnoses, services, and procedures for all systems of the body
• Develop foundational knowledge of medical billing, coding, and medical terminology
• Understand word parts and the structures and functions of the human body
• Prepare for the CPC, CCA, or CBCS certification exam

Click Here to Enroll

There are no prerequisites to take this course.

Upon successful course completion, you can select a voucher for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam offered by AAPC, the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam offered by AHIMA, or the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam offered by NHA.

You will also receive applicable study materials for your selected certification pathway.

This course prepares you to pursue one of three industry credentials: the CPC certification from AAPC, the CCA certification from AHIMA, or the CBCS certification from NHA.

Each credential provides a different way to demonstrate your medical billing and coding knowledge. The CPC emphasizes professional medical coding, the CCA validates foundational coding skills across healthcare environments, and the CBCS covers competencies related to both billing and coding.

A voucher for your selected certification exam is included after successful course completion.

Nancy Smith
Nancy Smith has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Her clinical experience includes working as a medical assistant for a network of rural health clinics, and as a medical coder, insurance claims specialist, and medical records auditor. She worked as a medical office manager for ten years, where she recruited and trained all medical assistants. Nancy holds a bachelor's degree in vocational education and has developed and taught medical assistant programs.

LaTisha Cottingham
LaTisha Cottingham has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has six years of teaching experience in the field of medical billing and coding and Medical Assisting. Currently, she is employed as an HIM Analyst for a Long-Term Care establishment that is based out of Alabama. Previously she was employed as the lead instructor for the Allied Health Department for a local career institute. LaTisha's field of expertise is in the area of physician-based inpatient coding and Emergency Department coding. The certifications that she holds are as follows: a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), a Certified Professional Coder (CPC), and a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA). In preparation for ICD-10-CM, LaTisha received her ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Certification from American Health Information Association (AHIMA), where she is currently a member. LaTisha is also a member of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the National Healthcare Association (NHA) where she is a test proctor.

Carline Dalgleish
Carline Dalgleish has worked in medical office administration for over 30 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Information Systems, a master's degree in Leadership, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Health Information Management. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator and an AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer. Dalgleish is the author of an ICD-10 coding system and owns her own consulting firm.

Lydia S. Stewart
Lydia S. Stewart, RN, BSN, currently serves as the Revenue Cycle Manager at a large regional medical center. Lydia has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years, 15 of those years specializing in Critical Care Nursing and supervision. She is responsible for Medical Audits, Charge Capture, and governmental compliance audits and reviews. Lydia is a member of the Louisiana Medical Auditor Association and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).

Bunny Reeves
Bunny Reeves is the senior ambulatory surgery coder at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She trains student coders at Maimonides Medical Center and previously trained and supervised entry-level coders at Staten Island's St. Vincent Medical Center. Reeves is a Certified Coding Specialist, accredited by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Sharon L. Blackford
Sharon L. Blackford, MA, BA, RMA, has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. She has a Master's degree in Organizational Management, a Bachelor's degree in Business Management, and has served as a Registered Medical Assistant since 1994. Sharon was an active duty Clinical Specialist in the U.S. Army for 10 years. Sharon later moved to the Gulf Coast to accept a position as the Director of Education of Blue Cliff College and was promoted to Campus Director.

Stacey O'Brien
Stacey O'Brien has more than 10 years of experience in medical coding and reimbursement. Ms. O'Brien has been a risk adjustment coder for a Medicare advantage plan, audited medical records for a consulting firm, and currently supervises the coding and electronic claims submission process for a group medical practice. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a CPC coding certification from the AAPC.

April Adams
April Adams, M.S., RHIA, CDIP, CPC-I, CPB, CPMA, has worked in the healthcare field since 2011, transitioning from a high school biology and chemistry teacher to a specialist in medical coding and auditing. She focuses on HCC, clinical documentation improvement (CDI), and DRGs and has taught health information management (HIM) courses, including medical terminology, law and ethics, coding, and revenue cycle management since 2018.

April possesses a master's in health information management with a specialization in data analytics. She also serves on the board of the Dallas-Fort Worth Health Information Management Association and holds multiple industry certifications.

Medical Terminology Instructors
Our medical terminology course section is taught by multiple experienced instructors. See the master course page for a full list of these instructors.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

This course is 100% online. Start anytime.