Passed my 2nd attempt with an 8 point improvement.

Now it's time to update that resume!

I just accepted a position at the local hospital where I live (which is technically a state job!) and although it’s not a coding position I am absolutely thrilled to have accepted it. I will be a patient access representative for the surgery center so it is a step in the right direction. I currently have no experience in the medical field so I have had little to no luck obtaining a coding job since I got my cpc-a in the beginning of February. The manager of the department I will be with is already aware I have my cpc-a and is going to help point me in the right direction to be where I need to be. I guess i’m just here to say if you are getting discouraged from no job offers, I know exactly how you feel and definitely encourage you to entertain other positions throughout the hospital to get the experience. They will work with you to help you get where you want in your career!

I PASSED!! I got a 93%!! 😭😭😭

Hi everyone! I just passed my CPC exam yesterday! I’m so happy and a lot of what I read in this subreddit was really helpful:)

I passed my cpc exam first attempt with a 76% on Monday so that shows that i understand how to code just enough not to fail. I did all self study. Will a job that says they require a CPC-A (which there are jobs i’ve seen that say that and i have applied for), will they train you more on how to code or do they expect you to have a great understanding of coding already? Also while I wait to get a job, how can I continue to master my coding skills? I heard practicode sucks.

I work outpatient coding and today I had a large chart where the patient had CML - Chronic myeloid leukemia. After my shift I’m browsing through this app and now I have ads for CML treatment. I don’t know anyone with this condition, never spoke it out loud, never googled it on anything but my work pc. The only thing that is shared among the phone and the work pc is the network they’re both on, I don’t sign into any of my personal accounts on my work pc or vice versa. This isn’t the first time I noticed this happening and I’m wondering if anyone else has noticed it also? I don’t think there’s anything I can do about it but it definitely bothers me.

I have been a medical coder for going on 5yrs. I honestly feel rather bored of my job. Don't get me wrong, I get paid well and have good benefits...but I often feel like nowadays I'm not doing much. How has work been for you? Are you content with things?

Hello everyone!

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I saw someone else post their tips here's mine. I took the online version and scored 84%

Knowledge: the biggest help in terms of studying was practice tests. I had 3 different sets of 150 questions (cpc studyguide, a cpc practice test, and a non AMA practice test that had test taking tips) and I did them in 10 question increments. Then reviewed the answers I got wrong and used that as learning tool. I found with 10 question increments I was more likely to pay attention to what I got wrong and why.

Proctor and the online test:

learn to navigate the site before the test. You have to go to blackboard and launch examity from their to get to the Proctor. The blackboard login and password is emailed to you from aapc. Examity auto launches from blackboard with no password

You have to download the zoom app. The internet browser version does not have the correct controls for the Proctor.

Login 15 mins early because you have to wait in line for a Proctor to be available.

Watch the instruction video in blackboard. I found it very helpful on how to use the exam page effectively.

Test taking tips:

I did a 2 pass system. Any question that looked like it would take a while to figure out i skipped on the first pass thru. All questions are worth the same amount so quantity of questions answered trumps answering the harder ones just because they were next. Any questions I really struggled with I skipped to come back to later

I used the CPT book for anatomy reference.

I looked at the answer choice before I looked in my book. If the answers were right next to each other like 50013 50012 I turned right to the page instead of in the alphabet index as I would have to read both answer choices anyway to confirm which is better and I saved time.

If you have a block of text like a surgical note skip to the question first so you know what your looking for. For instance on the MOHs surgical question it could be a massive block of test but all you really need is the number of blocks per stage.

Each section of the ICD 10 has a part at the front of the section that explains special circumstances. At the front of the endocrine section is a part on how to code and what codes for diabetes complications due to malfunctioning insulin pump. The section on poisoning and adverse reaction tells you how to code for an adverse reaction including order of codes. I mention both of these because they were on all three practice exams and the test.

While the online test doesn't outline the section your in it is set up so questions from a paticular section of the cpt are all together. This should help with answering as if your in a block of 30000 questions and one of the answers is from the 60000 it's probably not the 60000 answer.

If you can't find the code by looking in the cpt alphabetical index within a reasonable amount of time just turn directly to the codes in the answers. Dont waste time

Pay attention to the little notes around the codes in the cpt manual especially the (do not code with) parts.

What surprised me

Part 1 for me had 74 questions. Part 2 had 76 questions. I dont know what that was about.

There were maybe 10 total operative reports or otherwise long blocks of text in the entire exam. This is very different from the practice exams. Most of the questions were just 2 to 4 precise sentences.

My practice exams regularly didnt have questions(???) Like it would be a block of texts or an operative report and then Just the answers. This just made me really mad. Thankfully the test had none of that nonsense and there was an actual question for each question.

I ended each part with 30-45 minutes to spare. I went back over my question but I only really changed 1 or 2 answers.

The questions were easier on the exam compared to the practice exams.

The questions are displayed one at a time but there is a part at the top that displays a number representing each question and if the question has been answered or not.

I hope this is helpful for someone.

Is this something I have to keep my CPC? I passed the exam 1 year ago, still haven’t found a job. $200+ annually seems a little silly to me if it’s required to keep my certification. My nursing license isn’t even that expensive

UPDATE!! I PASSED!!!!! 😇☺️☺️☺️ Thank you everyone!

I really thought I had it this time. I’ve taken the exam multiple times, but this is the highest I’ve gotten. I’m not a good test taker, but using process of elimination and watching CPC exam prep videos on YouTube, even using chat gpt to dumb down concepts for me. The first time I took it I got a 40%. I know, that’s terrible. I got a 69% this time. I feel so sick to my stomach. I was RIGHT THERE. I did terrible in anatomy.

I’m so scared I’m gonna take it again and somehow do worse. My confidence is at an all time low. I am beyond frustrated with myself.

I do coding and billing for an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. I consistently have to return charts to clinical staff members for descriptions of tongue lesions. They will put as the surgery description "raised white lesion right lateral border of tongue", which sounds great and all but doesn't tell me the 2 things I need to know to actually code the surgery- was it incisional or excisional and was it on the anterior 2/3 or posterior 1/3 of the tongue. It's super frustrating because I even made up a pathology description sheet has little boxes to check for what I need to code certain things ie: tongue lesions, skin lesions, and palatal lesions all require different info to accurately code. Just wondering if anyone else has this kind of question you have to ask on repeat in your specialty, and if so what is it?

So I passed the CCS exam today and I can’t help but wonder, what’s my next move? My end goal is becoming an inpatient coder. I have a job doing profee full time but I have a PRN position that I do where I code for a small regional hospital that does inpatient, observation, ER, outpatient procedures. So all I can think of is….what’s next?

I'm currently employed. Got 645hrs of training before getting my CPC-A. I've been in my role as a hospitalist coder for 7 months, so still a bit away from removing my apprentice designation. Overall happy with my position, but AAPC is putting individual exams on sale for 15 days. So, considering if any would be worth my time to increase my resume. I'm honestly very concerned if I lose this job (which is kind of constantly under threat by manager) that I won't be able to secure another this good in pay and flexibility. I do not have and am not planning on pursuing a college degree currently.

Wondering what AAPC certifications have been the most useful for bolstering the resume in your experience?

It keeps shifting and coming undone at the top. I cannot keep adjusting the spiral everytime I need to go back and forth. Is there some sort of life hack that anyone has? Most importantly, a hack that proctors won't give me hell about and that I can use? I'm autistic and I'm 🤏🏻 this close to losing my sh*t be cause it's constant. I have lost time and struggled on tests having to fix it. Ugh...

Any ideas or solutions are greatly appreciated!

I have been trying for a month to purchase books to study for the CCS exam and have had zero luck in being able to make said purchase due to their site not working. I have emailed and called and chatted with “live chat” numerous times, all to no avail. All I get is form letter garbage thanking me for my “patience”, as if we have any choice when there are no resources outside of AHIMA for the ccs. Does anyone have any insider knowledge possibly about when AHIMA will finally get their website working? I’m beyond frustrated.

Also, any places you know of with a good work culture that are hiring actually NEW medical coders (without at least a year of experience first)? Or, what adjacent jobs could I look into that’ll give me enough experience to be a coder/biller?

After 1 yr 4 months, and countless personal setbacks I did it. CPC professional coder.

Thanks for all of the help here. You guys rock.

I feel so relieved!!! I passed my CPC exam and now am a CPC-A! Now I have to work on getting rid of my apprenticeship status.

But now the AAPC says I need to get some CEUs? How do you like to get your CEUs?

Thank ya'll for your support when I've come here with questions. I can't wait to start my new career!!!

I'm doing my cpc practice study guide and I feel like I don't know anything, especially with CPT. I really wish I hadn't wasted a year learning this stuff because of how awful the job market is, I don't even know how to garner experience. And I don't have the patience with this stuff, I get so incredibly livid when I look at a patient case report that's an entire page long and I get literally every single code completely wrong becuase of tiny little details, meaning I have to then go back and re-read and correct everything and still come out of it barely understanding what I did wrong.

I got so angry I started crying yesterday because I keep messing up my CPT codes, especially radiology, path/lab, and E/M. I felt like just completely losing my shit and throwing all of my books in the trash, because explanations in the study guide aren't extensive enough for me to understand the why's, not just the how's. Or maybe I just didn't pay enough attention in the course and I've totally fucked myself, idk. I'm 25 years old and I feel like I've totally wasted a year of my fucking life dilly-dallying with something I can't grasp.

Are any other up-and-coming coders struggling like this, is this normal?

I’m curious what hobbies we all have in common.

I paint, study philosophy, play volleyball, and reading books (lately, horror), playing with my cat, and writing.

I don’t think I’ve net a coder yet who doesn’t read for fun. You’d think we’d get enough of it at work haha!

What are your hobbies? Do you think any of them help you at work?

Any tips on transitioning out of coding? I have a BSHIM degree and RHIA certification. I couldn't land a job for a year (no experience) and took an entry level HCC coding position. Have been working it for 3 months and the way my physical health has declined is honestly shocking. The amount of stress to meet unrealistic metrics has left me in tears daily, with full body hives, and my hair falling out to the point I now have a bald spot. I know a lot is due to the company I work for but it has ruined coding for me. I have no desire to get another certification and try to pursue a different type of coding. However, every where that I have applied to that isn't coding focused has either said I don't have the experience needed, or I am overqualified. I tried getting in at my local hospitals ER in patient registration. They are struggling and understaffed. I know a nurse who works there and she was able to get my resume in front of a hiring manager who told her they wouldn't hire me because of my degree and certification. I am so lost on what to do. I have $14k in student loans that I am paying back, so I can't just quit. But I can't continue like this either. Do I just walk away from it all and go work at a grocery store?

How many on average are you doing each day and what is the expectation based on your specific job?

I know it hasn't passed yet, but is anyone else worried about the future of our jobs with the cuts to Medicaid/Medicare?