I just wanted to chime in on this......
I started like you, from a single physician practice where mainly i just billed out what the doctor told me to......
I got a job offer from a surgery center, which was about to open another center, where i would be doing coding only for both centers. At the time it was guestimated about 600 multi specialty surgeries per month on average.
The pay was only one dollar higher than what i was making at the physicians office. At the time i was not certified.
I was scared!!!! It was this fear that told me i was doing the right thing.
This move was going to give me a much more global knowledge of billing and coding, as opposed to the specialty practice i had been at for 5 years where there was nothing left to learn.
In the first 3 months, i got a two dollar raise. Mainly for taking the initiative where others didnt want to and rising up to a leadership position. On my annual review, i got another two dollar raise.
Yes, that is four dollars in the first year, which is unheard of.
After the first year, i decided to take the cpc, and passed the first time!
Now two years have passed, and the knowledge i learn every day in this environment is staggering.
I know its hard to leave a position where you know everything already and are comfortable. The question is, if your brain desires a challenge then make the leap. You can never learn enough in this field. The more you know -- the more versatile you are-- the harder it is to replace you.
If the thought of this new job scares you, i say go for it!! It was fear that drove me to my success with my new adventure.
Hope this helps
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