Betty Bray
I wanted a profession where I could work while also caring for my daughter, and that’s why I decided to look for a Medical Billing & Coding program. One of my friends recommended Herzing University while I was searching, so I decided to look into the school.
The first person I ever spoke to was George Jenkins in Admissions. He was terrific and gave me a great first impression of how Herzing cares about its students. Little did I know that he would be the first of many wonderful people at Herzing I’d get to meet!
After we worked together for a bit, he handed me off to Shannon Bishop, who tirelessly worked hard with me to adjust my schedule so I could better manage to learn. Dorothy Wright was one of the first professors I had, and I loved her stern but sweet personality and willingness to work with me. She took time out of her day to show me how to set up a bio lab when I was struggling, and I don’t think I would have passed the class without her help. A final shout-out to Georgia De La Barre, yet another influential professor that helped make coding more understandable so I could stay successful!
When it came to learning at Herzing, I loved the fact that I was able to manage my schedule and classes according to my needs. While I’d certainly say that all my courses prepared me for my career, I’d make sure to tell future students that physiology, anatomy, pharmacology and medical terminology are areas they will need to pay close attention to. It will help you tremendously when coding your case studies in the future!
There were some challenges I faced along the way, the main one being a lack of confidence in my ability to complete the program. For a while, it felt like I just couldn't learn to code properly, so I considered giving up.
Thankfully, I had Shannon Bishop, Jessica Meischen and our program chair Jodi Cornell all jump in to help in their own ways. All of them were there for me and made me realize that it’s okay to be scared, as long as I push forward through those fears. They reminded me that I was learning something new and with that came challenges that must be overcome. I’m glad I listened to them because I succeeded and made it in the end!
I surprised myself with this success, and I still can't believe I'm here getting ready to graduate. I started this journey when I was 49, and I’m now 51 -- I even made President's List while attending school! I’m so proud of myself! Discipline, sacrifice, and study: do these three things and you will soar as I did.
You’re never too old to learn and go back to school, and I’m proof: I had been out of school for decades! It’s been one of the best decisions I ever made, and I’ve come a long way in 18 months.
I believe in this school and what they stand for and can confidently say that they support its students 100%. I've never attended a school like Herzing University and would recommend them to anyone.
Now that I’m a grad, I’m planning to work for the Department of Veteran Affairs as a Medical Coder. Time to get to work!
