Get to know Ashlyn Alvarez, a graduate of Bryan University’s Medical Billing and Coding Undergraduate Certificate program! After struggling with the structure of other schools, Ashlyn did extensive research before enrolling at Bryan University. She said it wasn’t just a great decision for her but an experience that set her up for success as she continues her education.
“Bryan offered everything that I needed for a virtual school,” she said.
In her previous experience, Ashlyn struggled with the way other schools were structured. She said it felt like having your materials thrown at you without any support. When she enrolled at BU, that changed. She not only felt supported, but she felt like she gained valuable skills outside of the coursework.
“Bryan taught me how to handle accelerated courses,” she said. “I feel like I was taught management skills without even knowing it.”
From admissions to financial aid and the instructors themselves, Ashlyn said she felt reassured at every step. “The financial aid department was extraordinarily helpful,” she said. “If, you know, someone couldn’t find the answer, they were going to find someone else who could. And always by the second person, we got to the bottom of whatever the confusion was.”
She continued, “Then, throughout my courses, teachers were very timely. I’ll definitely never forget that. Teachers were always very timely. If you had a question, it didn’t matter if it was at like midnight, 2 a.m., within a couple of hours, you would have your response.”
Since finishing her program, Ashlyn has been pursuing an Associate of Science in Allied Health Science degree and exploring other job opportunities in the healthcare industry. She feels like employers take her more seriously now after completing her program than they did before, even with experience working in healthcare.
“I can definitely say that I’m taking advantage of having my certificate, but at the same time, I’m also utilizing it like a stepping stone. And I really don’t think I could have even had that stepping stone without Bryan.”
Overall, she loved her learning experience at Bryan, and she described it as the closest way to get the experience of a traditional college online. “You do have help. You have resources,” she said. “There are workshops, there are study groups, there are so many things that typical online colleges just do not offer. Most online colleges will just simply toss you the material and say, okay, go ahead and learn this.”
In the future, Ashlyn aspires to continue working in healthcare. She said her ultimate goal is to make an impact and “help be the change.”
“I had a teacher who had encouraged me to continue my pathway in health care. I was told that they felt that I really could make a difference,” she said. “ I just remember being told not to give up on that insight. She believed that my insight really could make a difference in a hospital, whichever one decided to take me on. I’ve never really been motivated like that.”
Ashlyn’s advice to anyone considering an education at BU is: “Give it your all, because if you do, Bryan will give it all back to you.”
Take the first step to a rewarding career in healthcare today! Our Medical Billing and Coding Certificate program is designed to prepare you for a career in a variety of settings like hospitals, physician’s offices, law offices, surgery centers, and remotely from home.
Our program is designed to teach you everything employers are looking for and prepares you to take the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Certified Coding Associate (CCA) certification and includes the cost of your first attempt in tuition.
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