I thought you might want to know how we find our instructors. First, we want them to actually HAVE the credentials they are teaching. Then, we want them to have graduated from The Andrews School course they are teaching. We have experimented in the past with instructors who had never gone through our courses, and it never works. We don't teach like other schools and unless you've experienced it firsthand, you really aren't able to 'get' it. Successful work experience is important too.
For Coding, we prefer that instructors have both CPC and CCS, but might make an exception for an instructor who chose just to get the CCS, and is a graduate of The Andrews School Medical Coding course.
For Medical Transcription, we require that instructors have a CMT or the new equivalent credential and be a graduate of The Andrews School Medical Transcription course.
This might be a good time for me to say this. I am an MT, as many of you are. The company I work for only hires MTs with 4 years of experience. How can a newbie get started when so many companies only hire the experienced MT? HOWEVER, the recruiter here once told me that when an applicant comes to him from Andrews School he will hire them immediately, even if that person is a newbie. He has found the newbies from Andrews to be more proficient that many who have a few years of experience. There are other coding schools, but I chose Andrews based on what that recruiter told me. I felt like I would stand a better chance to get a job if I studied through Andrews. Yes, it is difficult, yikes, very difficult. I feel confident that once I graduate, get my CPC and CCS, I will be able to get a good job and perform with excellence. In fact, it is likely that "my" transcription company will get into the coding business, and maybe they will hire me, even as a newbie, because I graduated from Andrews.
Just thought I'd pass that along, Linda.
Donna Garrett