# Points on how to pass the CPC exam     B Inman



## bcinman (Feb 15, 2016)

Can you give me some tips on how to answer the questions in less time.  I am waiting on my score now, over a week ago I took the exam.  I ran out of time with too many problems not answered.  That was my first time taking the exam.  Can you give me some pointers on how to spend less time on the questions?  Thank you for your advice.   Thanks!!!


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## staciewatie (Feb 15, 2016)

I found that the better you know your book the quicker you can get through the questions. I took the exam twice. The first time I did not study a whole lot and had 5 minutes to spare (failed). The second time I studied for about 2 months and finished with 2 hours to spare (passed). Just make yourself very familiar with the guidelines in ICD and CPT.


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## lowe.shelly@yahoo.com (Feb 15, 2016)

This may sound crazy, but the answer sheet is in columns of 5. you have 5 hours and 40 mins. I set my mind to each column must be completed with in an hour. That gave me 40 mins to look over other questions and things I was unsure of. Take lots of pencils and wear comfortable clothes.


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## rcrouch@crmchealth.org (Feb 15, 2016)

I teach a CPC Review class and here are some of the tips I give to students.

*Know the layout of your book. Study the guidelines for each chapter and highligh important inormation prior to the test. Highlight important guidelines. Write in your books but make it meaningful such as code with. Otherwise, it can be confusing.
* Do not overtab your books. Tabs can get in the way of using the book efficiently. Do tab the modifier, neoplasm, syndromes, and external cause codes sections. I tab the modifiers at the top of each book making it easier to open right to that section.
* If each of the answers have the exact same code(s), save time by looking up the codes that are different. If the codes are the same with different modifiers, look up the modifiers first. 
* Mark through answers that you know are wrong in your test book. Usually two can be eliminated quickly. At the end of the test if you have to go back and guess, then you have a 50/50 chance of getting them right.
* DO NOT open and close manuals between questions. It is a waste of precious time. Just page forward or backward to where the next question is. 
* You already have the codes. Do not waste time by going to the index. Go right to the codes.
Timing Strategy: BRING A WATCH WITH YOU, you may not be facing a clock.
* FIRST 30-45 MIN: quickly read through the test booklet and answer questions or sections you know or can easily look up. If you need to skip a question, place a small sticky tab on that question. I use blue tabs for medium hard and pink tabs for hard questions. If you become stuck on a question, tab it and move on. Don't waste time struggling with a question at this point.
* NEXT 2-3 HOURS: Answer as many questions as you can. Save the difficult ones for later. Use sticky tabs on questions skipped so you do not waste time flipping through the book looking for unanswered questions. Once done with all you can answer, start working on questions with the blue tabs.
* HOUR 5: work on the difficult questions (pink tabs).
* LAST 30 Minutes: go through exam grid looking for missed questions. If you are running out of time, make an educated quess. By now you should have eliminated 2 answers on the questions. ANSWER EVERY QUESTION.

Taking timed practice tests are a good way to increase your proficiency at answering questions. 

RELAX & BEATHE Stand up and stretch if you have to. Be confident. 

Hope this helps. Good luck!


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## CodingKing (Feb 15, 2016)

shelly.lowe@navigant.com said:


> This may sound crazy, but the answer sheet is in columns of 5. you have 5 hours and 40 mins. I set my mind to each column must be completed with in an hour. That gave me 40 mins to look over other questions and things I was unsure of. Take lots of pencils and wear comfortable clothes.



I went with the column per hour. Skipped questions i knew would take me time or didn't know well (IVR, selective, vs non-selective, vascular families **shudder**). When i skipped i followed the advice above about bringing tabs to put in the test booklet so i knew where to flip back to. I took the CCO Blitz course concurrently with my CPC course, and they list a one dot two dot but i found that slowed me down which is why i improvised and used a single color tab. The last 60 questions go by really fast which gives you more than enough time to go back and do the skipped questions. I had the opposite problem, I was so worried about time that i went too fast, i finished all but 3 questions (IVR) with 90 min to spare.


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