“As long as you have the internet, you’re good to go,” Kaci Petersen, an adjunct faculty member there, said to luncheon attendees. Students can take the program entirely online if they choose, or head to the NTC building to study or get extra help. The three-year-old program has roughly 40 students enrolled, staff estimated, and the foundation’s grant could make it cheaper for about a dozen students.

“What we tried to do when we set up this grant was to eliminate any barriers to getting an education,” said Sue Sutton, an instructor and adviser for the school’s healthcare support programs. The grant is exclusively for Minnesota women, and can help them secure a better income and enhance their lives, Sutton said.

Sanford Health leaders hope to hire dozens of new doctors and support staff over the next few years, and Petersen said medical coding is an integral part of any healthcare system.

“Without being able to assign accurate codes, you don’t get accurate reimbursement, and without accurate reimbursement, a health system can’t function at its optimal capacity,” she told the Pioneer. Petersen herself is a a 2003 NTC graduate who works as a medical coder at Sanford.

The program can last 18 months to two years, staff said, and students can aim for a certificate, diploma or an associate’s of applied science degree.

“Because it’s a technical job and healthcare’s in demand across the country, it’s relatively easy to find a job afterward,” Petersen said.