Medical Coder Resume Sample & Guide [20+ Tips]

Just like you recognize medical codes in a split second, recruiters can tell good resumes from bad ones at a glance. 

Luckily, there’s a foolproof way to ensure your medical coder resume lands in the ‘approved’ pile straight away. 

This guide will show you: 

• A medical coder resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a medical coder resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a medical coder resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a medical coder to get any job you want.

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Looking for some more inspiration on how to write a resume for a healthcare professional? Check out these:

• Medical Assistant Resume
• Surgical Technologist/Technician Resume
• Physician Assistant Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• LPN Resume
• Medical Scribe Resume
• Medical Billing Resume
• Data Entry Resume
• Medical Technologist Resume
• More Sample Resumes for 500+ Jobs

Medical Coder Resume Sample

Here’s how to write a medical coder resume that proves you’re a perfect fit for the position.

1. Choose the Best Format for Your Medical Coder Resume

In the world of medical coding, there’s nothing more important than keeping things universal.

Every day you follow the right structure to help both people and machines read the same language.

Job-winning resumes? They also need a structure.

Here’s how to keep your medical coding resume format well-structured and universal:

• Create a professional header with your resume contact information.
• Use resume sections that are easy to navigate.
• Decide on the best format for your resume. The reverse-chronological resume format is usually the best choice as it promotes your recent achievements.
• Choose good resume fonts. Stick to the classics, don’t go flashy.
• Give your resume enough white spacing. Clear layout makes it easy to read.

Pro Tip: If you wonder which one is better—saving your resume in PDF or Word, stick to the PDF. Unless the company specifically asks for a Word doc.

2. Write a Medical Coder Resume Objective or Summary

Going through hundreds of resumes gives the recruiters a splitting headache.

Make their task easier and give them the right code at the top of the page. Start your resume with a professional profile—a catchy opening paragraph that summarizes your proudest career gigs.

It can be either a resume summary, or resume objective:

Use a resume summary if you’re in the healthcare business for more than two years. It wraps up your key achievements and relevant moments of your work history.

Go for a resume objective if you target entry-level positions. It will help you showcase your skills and things you’ve learnt on courses or during internships. You can also use it to show the future employer why you’re motivated to work for them.

Pro Tip: Your resume profile is to sum things up for the recruiter. State your certification level and classification systems you know. E.g: “Certified Outpatient Coder with 3+ years of experience in CPT®, ICD-10, and HCPCS Level II coding.”

3. Create the Perfect Medical Coding Job Description for a Resume

Writing a successful medical coder job description is the keystone part of your application process.

So create a resume experience section that matters.

How to achieve this?

By tailoring a resume to a job and following these useful tips:

• Begin with your latest or current job and follow up with the previous positions.
• List your job titles, company names, locations, and dates of work.
• For each entry, add up to 6 bullet points describing your responsibilities and skills used in practice.
• Back up your achievements with resume power words, such as developed, utilized, maintained, demonstrated, analyzed, etc.
• Make sure to present only those duties and accomplishments that are relevant for the vacancy. Read the job offer closely and address the company’s needs.

Pro Tip: Efficiency and correctness—it’s hard to combine the two. So show the hiring manager that you can do it. Make your achievements quantifiable to catch the recruiter’s eye. 

4. Make Your Medical Coder Resume Education Section Great

Whether you want to be a trainee coder or nosologist, you need to make your education resume section shine.

The education requirements vary depending on the level of the position and the employment setting.

But one thing is certain—the recruiters want to know what you’ve learnt and where you’ve learnt it.

• If you’ve worked as a medical coder for over 5 years, keep your education section concise. List your degree, school name and location, and graduation year. Follow up with the educational programs you attended.
• If you have little professional experience, elaborate on your educational background. Consider listing the GPA (if higher than 3.5), academic achievements, and relevant coursework.

Pro Tip: Medical coding is not only about remembering the strings of numbers and letters. It actually requires a solid medical terminology knowledge. Where to gain this know how? Consider joining medical training organizations such as AAPC, a credentialing body for healthcare professionals.

5. Highlight Your Medical Coder Skills

Don’t make the hiring managers decode your skills from a dragging list of everything you can do.

Instead, pick out only these skills that correspond to your future job.

Since coding requires a set of hard skills and technical skills, focus on these first.

Then think of any soft skills you’re proud of (consult the job ad to see what the recruiter requires, too).

Medical Coding Resume Skills

• International Classification of Diseases (ICD)
• The Common Coding System for Healthcare Procedures (HCPCS)
• CPT®, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II codes
• CPT surgery codes
• ASA codes
• Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross insurance regulations
• EncoderPro and ICD Expert software
• Standardised classification workflow
• Medical terminology
• Data entry and management
• Speed typing
• Confidentiality

• Analytical skills
• Critical thinking
• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Time management

And what if you're writing a resume with no experience in the healthcare business? Think of the skills you gained in non-medical jobs. Then tailor them to what’s valid for the coding vacancy: speed typing, backing-up data, error spotting, organization skills, familiarity with legal regulations.

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6. Add Other Sections to Your Medical Coder Resume

All the above? These are more than necessary.

But adding an extra section to your medical coding resumes can really make a difference!

Consider the following:

• Licenses and certifications: these are of a great value for every medical coding position. Listing them in a separate section shows your competency level and field of expertise right away.
• Language skills: any language other than the coding one is your asset.
• Conferences: did you attend any regional or national conferences? It shows the recruiter that you’re up to date with the trade. And that you care.
• You can also add achievements, volunteer work or hobbies and interests to your resume.

7. Attach a Medical Coder Resume Cover Letter

If you think to yourself: do I have to send a cover letter?

The answer is simple: yes, you do!

Sending a medical coding cover letter will be a nice code-switch. Plus, about 50% of the recruiters still expect you to submit one.

If you want to write a job-winning cover letter follow these tips:

• Choose the right format for a cover letter.
• Set a hook with your cover letter intro.
• Focus on what you have to offer to the employer.
• Make an offer in your cover letter ending, show your future employer how exactly you can contribute to their team.

Pro Tip: Wondering how long should a cover letter be? Keep it between 250 and 300 words. That’s less than one page.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

That’s it! You’ve just broken the resume writing code.

Did you like this medical coding resume example? Are you writing entry level medical coder resumes or maybe targeting a senior position? We’d love to hear from you, leave your comment below!

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