I am 42 and have not worked for 13 years, I am thinking of paralegal studies or medical coding which is better

Question

I am 42 and have not worked for 13 years, I am thinking of paralegal studies or medical coding which is better

Answer 1

I am 34 and will soon be entering a paralegal program. I have investigated all kinds of jobs, because I want a real, stable career.

That being said, both of these jobs require experience, even after you graduate. You will have to start at the bottom for a low(er) salary. The schools will not tell you this, but trust me, I know. My mom did coding for a while before her company downsized. Her place will not hire without experience. You would probably have to start out in a small office.

The same with paralegal jobs. The employers want experience above anything else.

So, I would check the job market in your area and see if one is better than the other.

Medical coding is not going to be as varied as paralegal, but like para, it will offer different places in which to work, like hospitals or doctors' offices. There is always a need for healthcare jobs, so once you gain experience, you will probably be able to find jobs.

Whatever you choose, make sure you check out the schools. If you choose paralegal, it should be ABA-approved. It should NOT be online only and neither should the coding course. These are the types of courses where employers want to see hands-on work/classes. You do not want to limit your chances for jobs.

Check different schools and their costs. It can vary dramatically. My school is less than 5,000. I almost chose one that is 14,000, but it is not approved.

Definitely check your community colleges first, as they tend to offer more and are cheaper. I find them to be better than many of the technical schools. Again, it depends, but look around and see what is out there.

GOOD LUCK!

Answer 2

medical coding can be very tedious and boring.  being a paralegal can also be tedioius at times, but at least you get to work on different cases.