Career Moves for Coders Who Want More

Mentorship can be the difference between feeling stuck and building a career with real direction. In this episode of Compliance Conversations, CJ Wolf is joined by Barbara Shaw, a seasoned healthcare coding, auditing, and risk adjustment professional who has made mentoring new coders a meaningful part of her work, especially through her involvement as an AAPC local chapter officer. Barbara shares why mentorship is so rewarding, how she structures mentoring relationships in a realistic way, and what she’s learned about helping people move from “interested” to “ready.” What you’ll learn How mentorship actually works: what to expect from mentor/mentee check-ins and career guidance Where to find support: why AAPC chapters are an underrated resource for new coders Choosing your next step: credentials, specialties, and how to decide what’s worth pursuing Remote work expectations: the accountability and discipline required to thrive long-term Sustaining professional growth: avoiding plateaus by taking ownership of development—and giving back About Barbara Shaw Barbara Shaw brings decades of hands-on experience across coding, auditing, and population health. She spent 20 years working in OB/GYN practices and later went on to build and lead a risk adjustment auditing team. During her time at Duke University, she used Healthicity to support audit workflows, with a focus on OB/GYN, emergency department, and risk adjustment audits. Her career has also included work with several Medicare Advantage payers and ACOs. Today, she is part of the team at Mass General Brigham, where she is happy to be back in Population Health, focusing on outpatient CDI. Barbara is a strong supporter of AAPC and is actively involved at the chapter level. She frequently speaks at local chapter meetings and currently serves her local chapter as the education officer, helping support and mentor the next generation of coding professionals.  Thank you for listening! Please share, like, and subscribe.If you'd like to see more compliance and auditing content feel free to follow us on social media.LinkedInYoutubeFacebookInstagramCheck out our resource center and weekly compliance newsletter for additional compliance and auditing content from our experts.