If you are a medical coder who wants to rise to the top of your profession and earn possibly as much as 20% more than coders who are non-certified, you will want to take and pass the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam. Considered the gold standard by healthcare employers, passing this exam is critical for your continued career success. However, while you may be feeling stressed out about your upcoming exam, there are things you can do to increase your chances of passing on the first try. To do so, follow these five tips.

Stick to Your Routine

First of all, you want to make sure you feel as good as possible on exam day. You can do this by sticking to your routine of getting a good night’s sleep, getting up early enough so that you don’t have to rush through things, and eating a good breakfast. After all, staying awake most of the night worrying about the exam won’t do any good.

Remember it’s an Open-Book Exam

While the CPC exam is open-book, this doesn’t mean it’s easy to pass. Though this means you won’t have to memorize everything, it does mean you’ll need to know how to get the answers you need very quickly, since the exam is timed. Oftentimes, courses that you take before going into the exam will have recommendations for how to navigate through the textbook. Online resources such as Coding Clarified, also have resources to help you through the exam and come out with a passing grade.

Take Some Practice CPC Exams

To give you a good feel for the exam, take several practice CPC exams before it’s time to take the one that really counts. By doing so, you’ll have a general idea of the types of questions you’ll be asked, how long it will take you to finish, and let you know which areas you may need to brush up on before exam day.

Buy a Study Guide

During the course of your studies leading up to the exam, it’s always a good idea to purchase a CPC-specific study guide. Since these guides are known for highlighting key areas you should focus on for the exam, buying one can put you on the right track as to which areas of the exam you may need to focus on the most.

Trust Yourself

Last but not least, trust in yourself as you prepare to take the CPC exam. Since you did well in your classes and have the necessary knowledge and skills, chances are that by preparing ahead of time, you’ll do just fine.

By sticking to these five tips, you’ll soon find yourself passing the CPC Exam and being a Certified Professional Coder.

Article by Ani O.
Freelance writer and web enthusiast

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.