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I strongly suspect that many other facilities across the nation are going to wake up some day soon to find out that they had thought they were prepared for ICD-10 and aren't.  In one case I heard of recently, the current coders were, as has been happening across the country, being given time off of their regular ICD-9 duties to learn ICD-10. They have been taking that time off, but haven't been learning ICD-10.  They are still totally unprepared.

These are very large healthcare systems that I've been hearing about, but smaller facilities are no doubt going to go through the same thing. It's just a matter of time. Hopefully all of YOU current medical coding students and new graduates will be ready to jump in there and do the job, with your new credentials polished and ready to go.

I am curious about how long you think the "rush" will last.  I started at the beginning of April, so it is doubtful I will be ready to work by the time ICD-10 is implemented in October.  I am hoping I do not miss out on all of the job opportunities that will likely go along with it.

Don't worry.  Here's the way that works. They hire 20-30 coders, usually very heavy on those with 5 years of experience, just because they have the experience, not because they had especially GOOD experience. They may just know one tiny sub-specialty, but there you are, they have the required experience and are hired. 

A few weeks later, some of them are released from their job because of attitude, because they didn't show up for work, or because they just can't do the job. Some quit because they don't like the job or because of personal illness, family suddenly has to move out of state, or various other reasons. 

Those jobs will open up from time to time along with new ones.

Do a good job on your studies so you can get the credentials you will need to get those jobs when they do open up.  Go at a reasonable, appropriate rate of speed, but we've found that those who rush too much, don't do well in the end.

Ditto on the ICD-10 training! I used to work for a medical center as a PA and along the way I made good friends with the coding gals their. I recently stopped in to say hello, and had asked them how things were going with the new transition from ICD-9 to 10. Most of the gals except for the newest edition have been trained in ICD-9 from years ago, my friend mentioned that shes "looked" at the new criteria but really has not done any training in ICD-10 yet. There is only one gal who is trained in ICD-10. I fear that 3-4 months down the road when ICD-10 is in full use that they are going to be in a very sticky prediciment due to the medical facility not carrying out the new training that everyone needs. My friend mentioned that ICD-10 looked like a whole "different language", I said best of luck! and not to wait too long on getting familiarized with ICD-10