If you are taking the AAPC CPC exam, this question will be asked at some point; Do people pass your medical coding certification exam on their first try? And how do they do it? Although official numbers are hard to come by, rough estimates suggest that only 40-50% of test takers pass on their first try.
The Medical Coding Certification Exam Isn’t Easy
Make no mistake, the CPC or Certified Professional Coder certification exam is a grueling marathon of an exam that lasts almost 6 hours. Medical coding careers and their industry are growing rapidly due to the federal push for the implementation of electronic health records like ICD-10. This translates to better salaries and career options, but it also means it’s getting more competitive as more people like you try to get certified.
But people pass CPC certification on the first try or try.
The good news is that 40-50% of people pass on their first try, and there’s no reason why you can’t do the same. If you take a simple survey of those who passed on their first try, most will say the exam is hard. You will also find that the common things that they all share is that they are well prepared and have a fair amount of previous coding experience. Some pass without experience, but these cases are rare. Almost all of their advice points to the same pattern, which is:
1. Check the official study guides
2. Get yourself some training or blitz review videos online
3. Take a lot of AAPC practice or mock exams
4. Plan and practice your strategies for answering questions and managing time
If you do not pass the exam, you can retake it until you pass.
The other thing you may notice from the advice of those who have passed is to stay calm and not give up. Those who failed the exam the first time continued to retake the exam until they passed. Sometimes it takes a few tries, so as long as your scores improve with each try, you’re on the right track. If you fail, you get a free repeat within 12 months, so make the most of your time to be fully prepared.
Get well fast and learn from your mistakes
Before retaking the test, it’s worth examining what you think the problem is. The most common complaint is the lack of time to finish answering the entire question. Those who passed on their first attempt finished answering all of their questions, even if they thought it was difficult. Based on the many tips out there, it’s safe to conclude that honing your time management, question answering, and CPT search strategies is often the best way to improve your chances in addition to knowing your topics.
