Bethany Pursey CPC

I attribute my success to resilience, persistence, tenacity, networking, and maintaining a growth mindset. My greatest motivation has always been my daughter - I want her to be proud of me and to give her the best life she deserves. I wanted to show her through my actions, not just my words, what a woman can achieve. That motivation kept me going when I was working full-time at a daycare, caring for screaming children 40 hours a week, and then studying every night until midnight after putting my daughter to bed. I just kept focusing on the end result - that feeling of finishing my classes, passing the certification, and finding my first job. I've learned that you can't wait around for people to give you the tools or tell you that you're valuable - you have to be the driver in the driver's seat and go in the direction you want to go. You can't wait for someone to give you the opportunity; you have to persevere and do that on your own. The advice I've received and live by is to never stop learning and to keep earning certifications that make yourself as valuable as possible. You have to increase your own value - you can't wait for someone to do that for you or tell you that. Networking has also been really important for me, especially through LinkedIn and Facebook support groups, since I didn't have any mentors or know anyone in medical coding when I started. I went in blindly, on my own, but I made it work through determination and self-advocacy.

The best career advice I've ever received is to never stop learning and to keep earning certifications that expand your knowledge and opportunities. The advice is to make yourself as valuable as possible - you can't wait for someone to tell you that you're valuable or to increase your value, you have to do that yourself. You can't wait around for people to give you the tools or tell you that you could do this or that you should do that. You really have to be the driver in the driver's seat and go in the direction that you want to go. You can't wait around for anybody to give you the opportunity - you have to persevere and do that on your own. This mindset has been crucial to my success in building my career in medical coding.

My advice would be to find your motivation first - know why you're doing this and what drives you. Then do your research and make sure this is something you're really interested in. Do a ton of research to find the best schools, and make sure you do your due diligence. You're going to spend your hard-earned money, so make sure it's going only to the classes that you really need. Make sure the school is accredited, or the program is accredited. See if they help you find your first job, because that is a big struggle for many medical coders - getting your first job. Find out if they have an internship program, if they help you with your resume after you finish the certificate program, and how they help you place and find a job. I started at a community college that had so many classes that weren't coding related, like a music class and a creative reading class, and I was getting very frustrated. I was starting my second year when my advisor told me I needed to wait until next spring because one class I needed was only offered one time a year, which would put me at almost three years. Sometimes it's okay to say no and stop something that isn't working. I stopped at the community college, did more research, and found Medical Coding Academy based out of Arlington, Texas, where I finished the class in three months. Keep focusing on your end result - that feeling of finishing your classes, passing the certification, and getting that first job. I did my schooling while working full-time as a single parent, studying every night until midnight, and I just kept focusing on how exciting it would be when I finished. Don't give up and keep applying for jobs once you get certified. You'll find one.

There are lots of opportunities for women in medical coding right now. I feel women are equally represented in this industry - in fact, I work for Optum, UnitedHealthcare, and it's very female-heavy, very female-dominated in my opinion. One of the biggest challenges for people entering the field is getting your first job - that's a big struggle for many medical coders. That's why it's so important to find a school or program that helps you with job placement, internships, and resume support after you finish your certification. But once you get in, there are tremendous opportunities for advancement through specialized certifications and expanding your expertise. The key is to never stop learning and to keep earning certifications that make yourself as valuable as possible.

My daughter is my greatest priority and my motivation for everything I do. I want her to be proud of me and to inspire her to do things and not be afraid. I believe that kids listen to you sometimes, but things go in one ear and out the other - they're going to do what you do, not always what you say. So all the moves that I've made are positive, and maybe I will inspire her through my actions. I wanted to create a career that would allow me to work from home and be available for my daughter if she was sick or for appointments. The good thing about my job is I work Monday through Friday during the day, so I always have the weekends off to spend with my daughter. I love spending time with family, and I make sure to unplug and restore myself through reading mystery thrillers, knitting blankets and scarves to help me relax, and baking and trying new recipes. Maintaining that work-life balance is essential to me - I wanted to give my daughter the best life that she deserves, the life that I can give her, and she inspires me to not give up.