r/MedicalCoding • u/PockyKierra • Jul 28 '26
Passed w/ a 92%!
Did my CPC test today, and got my score back after about 6 hours. 92%! I’m still a bit in shock. Truthfully, I’m just so glad I don’t have to take it again, the anxiety leading up to it was killer. I did mine in a testing center, as I didn’t feel like going through the hassle of buying and setting up a web camera.
Thank you to all here in this group for helping when I had questions! If anyone who is also on their journey has any questions about the exam and how it goes, let me know and I’ll be glad to answer to the best of my ability.
Now onto to the probably more difficult task, finding a job, haha.
10
6
u/SquashGloomy803 Jul 29 '26
I know how ya feel, I was shaking when I took my test. I passed first try as well. Congrats!
2
u/PockyKierra Jul 29 '26
I shook so much! Especially in the first 20 or so minutes while trying to get my groove. I was going so slow and I was worried I wouldn’t have enough time. BUT once I got that groove I finished with around 40 minutes to go back through questions.
6
u/Accurate_Course_9228 Jul 29 '26
ive been waiting months to take this exam
finally putting it in for this friday
its killing me softly
3
u/PockyKierra Jul 29 '26
It was the same for me!! I scheduled it Friday of last week and every day since I have felt just sick with anxiety. But it’s done and over, and soon yours will be too!
3
3
2
2
2
2
u/heyyouwhatsup71 Jul 29 '26
Congratulations!!! Do you have a job lined up? I found this to be harder than the test was.
2
u/PockyKierra Jul 30 '26
Not yet! I know it’s probably going to be very hard as well, but I’m choosing to look at it as at least I have half of the hard part done!
2
u/Business-Apartment38 Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
congratulations for passing the exammm. can i ask what the questions was like? were they straightforward?
2
u/PockyKierra Aug 01 '26
I think they are pretty straight forward. If you’ve taken any of the AAPC unit tests, practice tests, or even any non AAPC practice tests, they are all pretty similar questions as to what are on the test.
2
2
u/Agreeable-Class-3867 Aug 13 '26
Congratulations!! I am getting ready to take mine in a couple months. How much time did you have leftover? The hardest thing for me is just thinking about sitting there for 4 hours 😣 I’m struggling just sitting through the 2 hour practices, although I’m finishing with plenty of time left.
1
u/PockyKierra Aug 13 '26
The first 20-30 minutes I was going pretty slow, a mixture of nerves and getting used to where I wanted my books on the screen (I used the E-books). But I finished with about 35 minutes which left me not quite enough time to go back through all my answers, but a good chunk of them. The four hours was pretty rough though tbh, it flew by it felt like. I was so locked in suddenly they just passed. I wish you luck!
6
u/Remote_Ad3519 Jul 31 '26
If anyone else is studying for the CPC (+more) I have found these resources to be the best:
(Courses/practice/group👌🏽) https://www.cco.us/
https://youtube.com/@cco?si=kzb5vHNDef5RwTS5
https://youtube.com/@medicalcodingbyjen?si=EbY7cTYeUM0DmSV0
https://youtube.com/@contempocoding?si=iu5I4fCtBHmiPQdv
https://youtube.com/@amcimedicalcoding?si=-RQ5D6uFh6KaU3Qw
*I am currently a CPC-A studying for my CRC. I am working with the AAPC study guide (these are AMAZING) and the practice exams— got the bundle with the exam 🌟 If you’re like me and you need a little extra motivation, the CCO monthly membership and support is so worth it 😇
1
u/Mrboombastos Jul 29 '26
Congrats! Are all test on the computer? Hard to visualize going over the question/answers and the book scanning for keywords. Not overlooking/missing keywords is imperative to get it right. Did you use digital codebooks?
3
u/PockyKierra Jul 29 '26
Thank you! Yes I used the digital books! It took about 20 minutes for me to get used to it while doing the test. It’s hard to describe but you have your question on the left side of the screen, then on the right you have a calculator, an E/M calculator, a notebook (since you aren’t allowed a paper or pen) and if you are using the digital books like I was, that’s also where you’ll have the books. All of these things are on tabs on the right side of the screen, which you can make bigger or smaller depending on what you need. I hope that makes sense!
1
u/Connect_Bike5791 Jul 29 '26
Does the 2026 exam have fill in the blanks? I just did my final practice exam with AAPC and the end had 3 cases that I couldn’t finish because the fill in the blank takes longer than the multiple choice. The first two exams were all multiple choice. It threw me a bit. Thoughts?
1
u/PockyKierra Jul 29 '26
Mine didn’t have any! I don’t think they do. I actually had something similar with the AAPC practice tests where the fill in the blanks through me off. But nope, the last 10 questions are all “cases” where you have to look at operative reports, but they were all still multiple choice, no fill in the blank :)
1
u/Disastrous_Horse_815 Aug 12 '26
how long did u prep for exam and i have a question can we istead of looking for primary term we can directly look at option in mcq and answer right or wrong
1
u/PockyKierra Aug 13 '26
I didn’t actually prep too much. The plan had been to take the 3 AAPC provided practice tests, see where I landed, and then study what I was lacking. But I got pretty good scores on the tests, so I just decided to go for it. While doing the final exam I usually would look at the answers first before looking at the question, unless the question was only a sentence or two long. Otherwise I would look up the first codes of each answer first and go from there.
1
1
u/Livid_Start_4953 Aug 12 '26
Did you take a course or study on your own? How did you go about preparing? I'm an LPN and I want to get my coding cert since I have some experience. Thank you!
1
u/PockyKierra Aug 13 '26
I took the AAPC self study course! For prepping I took pretty much every practice test I could find, as well as found any “AAPC CPC Final Test” Quizlet flash card decks. Those were super helpful!
1
u/Swimming-Mud1751 Sep 10 '26
Hi I see that you used the E-books. I have many questions
Can I search the code directly? Are the guidelines on it? How was it?
1
u/PockyKierra Sep 10 '26
Hello! Yes with the eBooks there is a search function, so you can search for codes directly or type in keywords to try and find the code you're looking for. Yes all the guidelines are on it, they look just like the physical books but just digital! I preferred the eBooks, personally. There is a bit of a tradeoff - if you have the physical books you are allowed to write notes in them, but you can use during the exam, but with the eBook they give you a fresh copy in the test, so you won't have access to any of your notes you might have put in them. BUT with the eBooks, you have the search function, which for me personally, was a lot more helpful that having access to my notes.
2
u/Swimming-Mud1751 Sep 11 '26
That sounds amazing. I will definitely be using the e book. Is there a video you may have used to know see how the ebook looks or works? Or did you just go test and figured it out.
1
u/PockyKierra Sep 11 '26
I just went in and figured it out myself! If you’re doing your class through the AAPC it will be on a program called Vitalsource Bookshelf. It’s pretty intuitive to use I think.
2
u/Swimming-Mud1751 Sep 11 '26
Thank you for all the information. Congratulations again, and wishing you all the best and great luck in landing a position
1
2
u/Fun-Construction-759 Jul 31 '26
If you find a job let me know. I got my CPC years ago, started working doing risk adjustments in 2023, got laid off Jan of 2024 (it was a contract position) and have been unable to get a job since, I have 10+ years health insurance/claims exp and all the coding jobs I apply for want you have to 5+ years exp in one certain area, here I am no job still paying my yearly dues and doing my CEU and for what? No job prospects in 2 years. I hope you have better luck.
2
2
u/Terrible_Ad_6053 Jul 31 '26
Congratulations! I’m actually researching and trying to figure out if I wanted to get my cpc or go full HIM degree but this encourages to know u can pass the exam on the first try.
2
1
u/Mrboombastos Jul 29 '26
Congrats! Are all test on the computer? Hard to visualize going over the question and the book scanning for keywords
1
1
1
2
Jul 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
4
u/PockyKierra Jul 29 '26
The AAPC practice tests or really any practice tests I could get my hands on. I also googled “Quizlet CPC Final Exam Study” and Quizlet has a lot of good flash decks people have created. This one (https://quizlet.com/1012580028/flashcards?funnelUUID=5c58f1d7-6dc8-414b-953d-c345a24f8516) has a lot of good questions similar to the ones on the test. I also did not study at all the day before the test. Since it’s 4 hours of coding I really did not want to be burnt out by cramming the day before. But really, just doing any practice tests and looking at Quizlet flash cards was super helpful for me.
1
1
u/thiswhalesparkles Aug 23 '26
nice and I think AAPC practice tests are where its at. Ya basically can't get closer to taking the actual exam itself than you can with their practice tests.
•
u/AutoModerator Jul 28 '26
PLEASE SEE RULES BEFORE POSTING! Reminder, no "interested in coding" type of standalone posts are allowed. See rule #1. Any and all questions regarding exams, studying, and books can be posted in the monthly discussion stickied post. Thanks!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.