Before you begin, you’ll need to meet key health and safety requirements set by our clinical partners. See what’s required and take your next step.
Medical Billing and Coding: Physician-Based
To begin, connect with an advisor who can guide you through program options and next steps, including the application process.
The Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Medical Billing and Coding: Physician-Based is designed to prepare individuals for entry-level medical billing and coding positions in ambulatory care treatment centers such as clinics, physician practices, managed care organizations, private billing services, and insurance companies.
Details
Field of Interest
Health Sciences
Degree Type
Certificate of Completion (CCL)
Academic Plan
Medical Billing and Coding: Physician-Based (CER)
Academic Plan Code
5014
Total credits required
36
Catalog Year
2025-2026
Effective Term
Fall 2025
Admission criteria
High school graduate or GED.
Completion of Program Prerequisites.
Formal application and admission to the Medical Billing and Coding: Physician-Based certificate program is required.
Ability to fully participate in professional practice in the health care settings.
Applications can be obtained from advisement or from the College website.
Background Check Requirements
Program applications will not be accepted without a copy of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card. Upon conditional program admission, the student must comply with all requirements of the current MCCCD background check policy.
Notes
Students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses within the program.
Students must be willing to undergo a background check performed by the MCCCD-approved vendor. (Students who are unsure of their background status may take a preliminary background check at their own expense before entering the program, results of which will not be sent to the college.)
The following courses must be completed within five (5) years of the Required HIM Course(s): BIO201, BIO202, BPC110 or CIS105, HCC145, and HIM200.
PHOENIX COLLEGE:
Phoenix College offers a credit-based certificate.
GATEWAY COMMUNITY COLLEGE:
GateWay Community College offers a clock-based certificate in Medical Billing and Coding
What You'll Learn
- Demonstrate professional and ethical behavior, and cultural competency skills according to ambulatory care professional practice standards.
- Apply critical thinking skills to decision-making processes in accordance with ambulatory care standards and best practices.
- Apply legal and ethical concepts and principles applicable to ambulatory care setting regulations and guidelines.
- Use health information technologies commonly used in ambulatory care settings.
- Apply anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology concepts in the ambulatory care coding function.
- Apply clinical nomenclatures, vocabularies, classification systems, and revenue cycle management.
Career Statistics
Successful completion of this certificate may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based annual median wages* for this program. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information.
Medical Records Specialists
$49,790
* Wage information sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Program. Updated May 2024.
Course Sequence by Term
The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:
- Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
- The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
- Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
- Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
Full-time Sequence
Part-time Sequence
Course Area Key
Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.
- CS = Computer/Statistics/Quantitative Application
- NSI = Natural Sciences
- SG = Natural Sciences General
- SQ = Natural Sciences Quantitative
Disclaimer
Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.
Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.
View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award at https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm11?id=15993216.
At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.
Previous Catalog Years
The pathway map presented above is for the current catalog year and is the intended pathway map for new students. All previous catalog years for this pathway map are available at the link below.
While you’re on the waitlist, take time to explore courses, short-term programs, and scholarships that can help you reach your goals and keep you moving forward.
Explore your future in healthcare with resources that help you understand career paths, program requirements, and next steps so you can start preparing with confidence.