It takes dedication, attention to detail, and excellent communication to succeed as a medical biller or coder. "There is a big misconception that this field is easy: that they can just punch codes into a computer and things will be good," says Nancy Szwydek, MPH, RN, RHIA, CRAT, CMAC, who is assistant dean for accreditation at Purdue University Global. "It requires a lot of work and practice." Medical billers and coders also need to be self-motivated learners. "Codes change every year, and you need to be resourceful to answer your questions on the job," Garcia says.