r/ODS_C

Hi all! I’m doing a mid-career pivot away from behavioral health, and the Ahima path (or “Route 2”) looks like a good fit. Available job postings I’m finding require years of experience (credentialed or not) and I’m concerned about completing the program and then having no job prospects.
I’ve scoured Reddit, TikTok, and NCRA for new grad placement ideas/agencies, but am not finding much. TLDR; is it worth the $3.5k and hoursss of classes/practicum/exam to be met with a significant challenge of finding work? Would love any job leads or ideas, or insight into placement after passing the exam.

I've worked for a contract company almost 3 years and make over $30 an hour with super crappy benefits. I've had 3 offers from hospitals (2 were university hospitals) and none of them will go above $26 and hour. It's super frustrating because none of the hospitals would share pay info unless I went through all the interviews and let them contact my references. Anyone have any tips for hospitals with decent pay that offer remote work? ​​

I graduated with an MBBS ( bachelor in medicine/ bachelor in surgery)from asia. I can practice as a physician in Asia. Now i live in the northern CA. I was a primary caregiver of my mother who passed from complications of cancer in 2020. I am looking to gain some financial independence now that both of my kids are in school. I was told to look into the ODS program. I'm looking for some guidance as how I can get my foot in the door. Since I do have a medical background does that put me in a better position. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

As the title says, I'm gearing up to take the AHIMA online program in a few weeks and am scared that I'll finish it only to end up not being placed with an Independent Advisor for the online practicum. NCRA has it repeatedly stated on the website that they can't guarantee an advisor placement. Is this a valid fear? Will it just take a while to be assigned an advisor or could it be a dead end?

I just graduated from an online HIM program in June and passed my RHIT certification (like literally a week ago) and have very few contacts within the field. I'm planning on attending my state's annual in-person conference in a few months to try and make connections, but am still worried. I went to a smaller meeting in June and have emailed someone I met there twice with no response back.

Sorry if this isn't a valid concern or anything but I'm just really anxious. The job market is tough right now, and the easiest ways to get experience and your foot in the door are in-person jobs. I'm disabled and physically couldn't handle an on site position, so those aren't an option for me.

I’m looking to get into the cancer registry field and obtaining my ODS-C.

I recently graduated with my associate degree in Health Information Management and have worked in the HIM industry for the past 12 years. I currently work as a Prior Authorization Specialist and have some medical coding experience, although I’m not certified.

I’m getting married this November and having our reception this spring, so money is a little tight right now. Because of that, I won’t be able to start the AHIMA CRM courses until April 2027.
In the meantime, I’ve created a NCRA account and have been going through the free materials, including the Introduction to Cancer Registry courses.

My question is: Are there any other free or inexpensive resources you would recommend that I could use to start learning about cancer registry now while I save up for the formal courses?

I’d especially appreciate recommendations for textbooks, websites, YouTube channels, practice exercises, terminology resources, or anything else that could help me build a foundation before starting the AHIMA courses.

Thank you! 😊

Is anyone else starting the San Jacinto CDM program next week? I was wondering if anyone would be interested in setting up a discord to help study.

So, I have two semesters left for my Cancer Registry Certificate program and I will be eligible to take the ODS exam either Summer or Fall of 2027. I already work in HIM at a hospital (doing chart analysis/deficiency tracking). I'm comfortable in my current job and I don't know if I want to rush into a cancer registry job. My current position is very flexible with scheduling and i like my team. I'm very interested in cancer registry and I'd love to get a job as a Cancer Registrar. However, the unknown scares me. I also know the grass isn't always greener. I'm pregnant with my third and I really value flexibility. I can start working anytime between 6am and 9am. I can take my breaks whenever I want and make up hours without using PTO. Some of my coworkers work part-time and others full-time. I will be switching to part-time due to having my baby soon. It will also help me stay on top of my cancer registry classes.

So, I'd love to hear from those who work as a Cancer Registrar at a hospital. Do you have a similar level of flexibility? Do you find your workload to be manageable? If you transitioned from a different HIM position, are you happier as a Cancer Registrar? How is the pay? I know that there are cancer registry jobs outside of hospitals, but I'd like to stay within my current health system if possible.