How to pass the CPC exam in 2022?- A complete guide

Now that you have finished your CPC certification training, you must be ready to take the CPC certification exam conducted by AAPC.

Are you looking for certain tips on how to crack it on your first attempt?

Nothing to worry about. You are at the right place. We have got your back.

This article will guide you in the right direction on how to pass the CPC exam with ease.

CPC exam Preparation strategy

As there are a lot of topics that you need to cover in your CPC exam, it gets quite overwhelming. But a well-laid-out preparation strategy can help you pass the CPC exam with flying colors.

Here are some ways that can help you prepare well for the CPC certification exam.

In the CPC exam, the CPT manual is one of the most important chapters you need to cover and spend most of your time on.

Although there will be questions on ICD-10-CM, HCPCS, and other topics but most of the questions will be from the CPT code set. So you need to focus more on that portion.

You can go through the detailed CPC Certification exam syllabus here.

Go through the syllabus properly to find out how many questions you need to answer from each section.

CPC certification is awarded to individuals who score more than 70%. There will be 100 questions and you need to answer at least 70 out of those. You will be given 4 hours to complete the exam.

Since you will have a limited amount of time on your hand, time management will also play an essential role in your success in the exam.

Even if you are trained, brushing up your knowledge with review courses before your exam is always recommended.

Give Mock Tests

Once you have completed your course, make sure to take as many mock tests as you can. These mock tests are normally simulated as real-time tests.

Taking these mock tests will help you self-evaluate yourself and with time management during the exam.

You can find areas of improvement and work on those for better performance in real-time CPC exams.

Don’t treat the mock tests as just formalities. Take these tests as you would take a real exam. Go through the evaluation sheet thoroughly and look out for areas of improvement.

You can practice the AAPC’s practice exam set to have the proper idea of the CPC exam.

Remember that most practice exams are easier than the actual exam. So prepare yourself accordingly and keep practicing until you score at least 80%.

As already mentioned, you will get 4 hours to answer 100 questions, on average each question needs to be answered in 2.4 minutes.

Manage your time properly so as not to miss out on answering any questions.

Be proactive

Set your primary goal as answering 70 questions correctly and prepare your strategy accordingly.

Try to attempt the easier questions first and don’t spend a lot of time on questions that are difficult to answer. You can skip those questions and come back later.

Time management is very critical as already mentioned. It is suggested to manage your goals and time by picking the best available answers.

Don’t lose your time by going into the details of each question. Just pick the best possible answer and go to the next question.

Improve time management skills

The duration of the CPC exam is 4 hours and you need to answer 100 questions.

The best way to manage time so as not to miss out on questions is to break the question into various segments.

Separate the questions into different segments, assign a definite time for each segment, and work on each segment before moving on to the next segment. Also, assign a definite time for each question in the segment.

If you have left some questions in a particular segment, you can come back and attempt those later provided there is still time left.

Keep your momentum as you appear for the exam and try to answer all the questions in the exam.

You can also use a timer or a watch to track your time during the exam.

The day before the exam

On the penultimate day of the exam, look out for the important notes and go through important guidelines. Don’t study much.

Keep all the materials handy that you plan to take with you to the exam center like the books or set up your webcam and test area if you are taking the online exam.

Get some good sleep at night and enjoy a healthy light breakfast in the morning and drink as much water if possible.

Stay positive and get ready for your exam day.

Appear for the exam

Verify the address of the examination center and reach the center before the time.

During the CPC exam, you are allowed to take the code manuals. You can have notes in the margin of these manuals but these notes should not contain any type of test-specific information.

So it is recommended to mark the important sections of the code manuals.

As already discussed, manage your time properly and attempt the easier questions first.

If you are taking the exam online, there might be some chances of unexpected technical issues. So test your camera beforehand and also confirm which materials are permitted and which are not.

Conclusion

As you have reached this far, you must have got a clear idea of how to prepare and get yourself ready for the CPC exam and pass the exam with flying colors.

We hope these tips will help you to pass your exam and become a certified medical coder.

If you are ready to start your CPC certification exam preparation, we at Gulf Medical Coding Academy are here to help you pass the CPC exam on your first attempt.

Our well-structured, customized online CPC certification training module imparted by highly experienced trainers make it easy for students to pass their exam with ease

Good luck with your exam. Hope to see you earn a CPC certification soon.

Do get in touch with us should you need any help with your CPC exam preparation.