In this episode, we’ll be doing something different by talking about how you can FAIL the AAPC CPC exam, by breaking their rules. Just click play below!

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Importance of time management

Which is why the CPC exam is no pushover. You’re required to answer 150 multiple choice questions in a marathon 5 hours and 40 minutes. Without extra break time in between, you’re left with only a little over 2 minutes to answer each question. There are plenty of horror stories of people not being able to answer all the questions in time. You’re allowed to refer to your books and notes for answers so the issue is really about time. If you walk into the exam hall without a time managment plan in place then you’re only handicapping yourself.

Multiple passes strategy

The good news is that you can follow a tried and tested strategy to help you focus and pass the exam. Remember that each question are not equal. Some will be easier to answer than the rest. You can leverage on this little tip using a multiple passes strategy. Your goal would be to go through the exam 3 times. First pass you answer all the easy questions, then second pass the medium difficulty questions, then the last pass the truly difficult ones.

Because they’re all multiple choice answers, they actually carry the same weight eventhough the effort to answer them varies. A common mistake that students or exam takers make is to waste too much time on a difficult question at the beginning, thus depriving themselves of easier questions at the end.

Rate the questions according to difficulty

While you’re going through the questions in the CPC exam booklet on your first pass, keep track of the question’s difficulty with a simple mark. You can put for example, a dot next to questions that are of medium difficulty, and two dots next to really difficult questions. So on your second pass just focus on the single dot questions, and on your third pass the double dot questions. This will save you a lot of time on your second pass and third pass. There is no need to overthink it, just go by your gut feeling so you don’t end up spending too much time rating the questions.

Track your time and progress and keep moving

There are 150 questions you need to answer in 5 hours and 40 minutes. Your CPC exam answer grid have 5 columns containing 30 questions each. Allow yourself one hour for each column, which leaves some time at the end for review. You can request the proctor to announce as each hour elapses to remind yourself of progress. Don’t be afraid to skip questions that may take a lot of time so that you can keep moving forward.

Don’t leave any CPC exam questions unanswered

When the CPC exam time is almost up, use the last few minutes to guess at an answer for the unanswered questions. There are only 4 choices, which gives you a 25% chance of getting it right. Make an educated guess and you can bump up your chances to 50/50. Usually there will be one obvious wrong answer, so make sure you use all the remaining time to make educated guesses.

Practice and prepare

The best way to do well with these strategies is to practice. The experience of taking the CPC exam is very different from doing it in your home or participating in online sample exams. The atmosphere is different and there could be distractions and discomfort. Make sure you have suitable clothing to stay comfortable, eat to get your energy levels up, and get plenty of rest the day before. You’ll want your mind to perform at its optimum throughout the whole duration of the CPC exam. With a proven strategy and prepared mind, there is nothing to stop you from passing the exam and get certified.

The advice and proven strategies you’ve just read are just a sampling from Laureen Jandroep’s Medical Coding Certification Review Blitz Videos. She has been teaching and coaching students on how to pass the CPC exam since 1999.

Click here now to find out how Laureen Jandroep can help you to pass the CPC exam on your first or very next try!

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Online or classroom CPC prep course

The AAPC recommends that you take a medical terminology and anatomy course, then enroll in a CPC prep course before taking the exam. This is to make sure you are fully prepared before going for the CPC exam. So you have a choice of preparing in an online or classroom setting. Depending on your work and schedule you may go for either one, as they’re both excellent ways to get started. Either way you need the official CPC certification study guide for the current year of the exam.

Training camp

There are training camps available to help you review the topics and exam techniques before you go for the CPC exam. These are usually intensive preparatory courses that feature an expert and may include other speakers that last a few days. Some are specialized but most are to help you cover everything such as principles of ICD-9 coding, HCPCS coding, CPT coding, medical terminology, and others. You’ll find that these training camps are scheduled quite regularly throughout the year and nationwide to facilitate you. While they are intensive and feature great experts, these training camp prep courses are expensive. And if they are not available in your local area, you’ll need to shell out more for lodging and travel expenses.

Personal coach

If you can’t make it to a training camp, you could have the expert instructor come directly to you instead. You can approach a training company such as those that organizes the training camp and get a quote for on-site training. This option is of course more expensive but if you could try to get a bunch of people together then the cost could be reasonable. Otherwise you can directly contact the expert instructor you’re interested in to arrange a one-to-one consultation. The great advantage of having a personal coach is that you have their full attention. The prep course can be customized to work on your problem areas.

Webinars

There are a lot of resources online for you attend an online webinar conducted by an expert instructor. Usually webinars are included as part of an online CPC exam prep course to give exam takers further support. Webinars are excellent as you can attend in the comfort of your own home but interact with the instructor to ask questions.

Practice exams

You can also find plenty of practice exams. They are usually online practice exams so you can check your score instantly. But for true authenticity, you could also get paper versions as well. These are designed to simulate the CPC exam, where you’re given 150 questions to answer in 5 hours and 40 minutes. The questions are meant to be as close to the actual exam questions as much as possible, and some may be modeled after past exam questions. The CPC exam is a test of your time management skill as well as your coding skill as a lot of exam takers simply can’t finish answering all questions within the time. By doing online practice exams, you’ll be able to learn how to manage your time during the exam, which can determine whether you pass or fail.

Local AAPC chapters

Don’t forget your local AAPC chapter. They routinely organize CPC review classes conducted by expert instructors. You should attend if given the chance as the instructors could be your future exam proctors in your area. Their tips and advice will be suitably localized for your area where you just can’t get from elsewhere. Here you also have a chance to meet and mingle with other exam-takers to exchange ideas and learn from one another. CPC review classes organized by your local AAPC chapter are usually very cheap and very convenient for you.

If you’re looking for an online CPC review course to supplement your studies, Laureen Jandroep’s Medical Coding Certification Review Blitz videos comes highly recommended. Click on the link now to learn more!

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Getting certified as a medical coder is important if you want better career and financial opportunities. Certified coders earn on average about seven to eight thousand more per year than those without, and have better future career advancement options. Nowadays coders are expected to be certified with a certain number of years of experience, otherwise it can be difficult to secure a job. A lot of employers these days outright refuse to even interview candidates without certification. With medical coding experience, being certified immediately makes it easy to seek out new job opportunities, in terms of greater job variety and geographical area.

But if you’ve done some reading online, you’ll notice that there are a lot of programs out there offering help in terms of training, sample tests, coaching, and etc. specifically for passing the CPC exam. A lot of people take the CPC exam but not all of them get through as it is a tough exam. Those who failed the first time are allowed retries, but after that you’ll need to pay extra.

Here are some scenarios you might be encountering:

- You’re ready to get certified and wants expert guidance.
- You’ve been studying but it doesn’t stick.
- You’re taking sample tests but can’t finish answering all questions in time.
- You need an easy way to review your studies.
- You’re having a hard time managing your study time.
- It takes too much time to look up your CPT book so you need a fast method.
- You taking the CPC exam again and want to ensure you pass this time around.
- The exam date is nearing and you’re starting to feel nervous and overwhelmed.

Laureen addresses all these scenarios and more in her videos, which is why they’re called review blitz videos. You use the videos alongside your official or supplementary study materials. Far more than just a study guide, Laureen Jandroep’s videos are there to ensure you pass the exam, that means she shares the secrets and strategies she’s been using to coach candidates to score and get certified. Instead of attending a last minute training camp or a getting another sample test program, you use these blitz videos alongside your study so you’re primed for passing the CPC exam from the get go.

So there is no doubt Laureen Jandroep’s videos are for those who are going to be taking the CPC exam to get certified. Whether you have just completed your medical coding training, or you’re an experienced coder ready to take the CPC exam and get certified, it doesn’t hurt to invest in Laureen’s videos to make sure you’re fully prepared for the CPC exam.

Click here now to watch a personal video message by Laureen!

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