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Has anyone ever taken the CPC exam? How did you prepare for it? - nm

Posted: Sep 22, 2010

I've heard that it is very difficult. - nm

CPC Exam - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
Most of the coders I know passed it on the first try, but a few had to take it more than once.

It is a 150-question exam covering ICD-9-CM, CPT, and HCPCS coding, anatomy & physiology, practice management, and medical terminology, anesthesia, pathology, OB-GYN, and all the other specialty areas listed on the AAPC website. You have up to 5 hours and 40 minutes to complete it. It is $300, but you are allowed one free retake.

This is not an easy test, but if you have a good grasp of the coding, the guidelines, and the other content areas, you should be able to pass. Time management is very important on this exam--you need to be able to finish it.

It is also important to be able to focus on textbook coding. The more experience you have, the more you tend to think that Medicare rules or your facility's guidelines are "correct coding." While they're not incorrect, they might not coincide with what the exam is testing. Lots of people fail because their coding knowledge isn't fresh.

The AAPC exams are not held at testing centers. (The AHIMA exams are the ones at testing centers.) AAPC's are paper & pencil hosted by the organization's local chapters, often in the chapter's usual meeting location. It may be a hospital meeting room, a school, or even a hotel.

I recommend that candidates review the material on their own, then just take the exam. Since you get one free retake, there isn't much reason to fret about passing on the first try. Very often, if a candidate can be persuaded to take it just to see what happens, without worrying about passing, they do fine. If they don't pass, then they can review more intensely.

The first thing you should do is review the information on the AAPC website.

Wouldn't a meeting room be a testing center? - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I only meant that the test would be taken at a location other than home, to me that is a testing center. Locally, our AAPC exams are administered either at the local hospital or one of the conference rooms at our large clinic. Thanks for all the other information. I was approaching the question from my perspective as a student, so was not able to provide all the details. Just my personal experience, but I would want to make a real effort to pass on the first attempt, even if I knew I had another shot at it, it would still be stresful going through it a second time, a bit like not passing your driver's test the first time, lol!

Testing center = Prometric, Pearson, etc. - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
Testing centers are usually considered to be commercial companies that administer tests, usually by computer.

For some people, tests are more difficult when given on a computer in what can be an unfamiliar and intimdating environment.

The AAPC tests are paper and pencil, are given in relatively relaxed surroundings, you can wear a sweater or take it off, you use your own pencils, and you get to use scrap paper. You can get up to use the bathroom as often as you like.

Testing centers aren't nearly as pleasant. The testing experience alone can cause people to fail.

All of the test requirements are available to you, even though you are a student. They are public postings on the websites of both organizations, and full information is provided. You might want to find out the requirements now, so that you'll be able to prepare yourself better.

Not yet - SM - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I know a couple of people (co-workers) who have had to re-take the CPC in order to pass. I have also heard that it's very difficult, a 5-hour timed exam taken at a testing center. I think it covers more than just coding, I know there are some anatomy questions. I plan to take it at some point when I finish school. I was told to try 2 practice exams before doing the real thing, I think you can get those from AAPC. I've also seen sample tests on the internet to download. If you're in school, maybe they would have some study guides. All I can say is learn all you can and study hard, also get all the coding practice you can.

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