# CIRCC tips?



## ptrautner (May 31, 2012)

I attended Dr Z's seminar in Boston recently and i was so inspired to take his test...i am going to give it a go...not much interventional experience, going to wing it and hope for the best i have three and a half months to prepare...

Any tips any of you who have passed it can share with me?  i have all his books and the csi interventional book, doing practice questions, and putting notes in my cpt book any other suggestions to prepare?  

gonna give it the ole college try....


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## donnajrichmond (May 31, 2012)

Do you have the CIRCC Study Guide?


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## ptrautner (Jun 1, 2012)

yes i bought that at his seminar and his laminated charts...i think i have all the "tools" i can possibly have...just have to do it...


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## dpeoples (Jun 1, 2012)

ptrautner said:


> I attended Dr Z's seminar in Boston recently and i was so inspired to take his test...i am going to give it a go...not much interventional experience, going to wing it and hope for the best i have three and a half months to prepare...
> 
> Any tips any of you who have passed it can share with me?  i have all his books and the csi interventional book, doing practice questions, and putting notes in my cpt book any other suggestions to prepare?
> 
> gonna give it the ole college try....



The only thing I would add is try to get a good night's sleep before the test.


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## ptrautner (Jun 3, 2012)

thanks danny i will try 

i guess the sleep will be good before the test induced migraine begins!


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## Jim Pawloski (Jun 5, 2012)

ptrautner said:


> thanks danny i will try
> 
> i guess the sleep will be good before the test induced migraine begins!



Also make sure you have munchies and something to drink.  You do not want to have any other troubles with your headache.  Also know how you code your selective catheterizations from all access points, not just from the femoral arteries.  Also you are allowed to have the drawings from Dr. Z's book, but that is it, except for your ICD-9, CPT, and HCPCS book.  Last is that you can use post-it notes to label the different sections of the CPT book that you will use.  It will help with your speed of looking things up.

Good Luck,
Jim Pawloski, CIRCC


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## elena.delucia (Oct 22, 2013)

ptrautner: how did u do? i also have *very* little ir coding experience, no cardio/neuro whatsoever at all & am scared to death.


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## strost (Oct 25, 2013)

I have a random question about the test...
are we able to have scratch paper and a pencil?  I tend to write a lot of notes to myself as I'm reading procedures (such as where the cath has gone, what was viewed) and wasn't sure if I would be able to do that.  I'm a little afraid if not since I pretty much think on the paper.


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## elena.delucia (Oct 25, 2013)

i was wondering same thing b/c i go thru ALOT of scrap when im studying, where cath is, etc, like you said, i think on paper too, helps me figure it all out. 

i was told:  "Just pencils – you can write in your exam book.  You can take in your CPT book, your laminated sheets and pencils, snacks, drink, tissues if you need them and glasses – that's it.  You'll take in your coat (oh and dress in layers because you don't know how the temperature will be in the room)."

hope theres enough space in the exam book for me!!!  when do u take it? i go in nov. so scared!!


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## strost (Oct 25, 2013)

Okay, good to know.  I didn't even think about how much I write until today and got very scared for a minute!
I go in nov as well, 11/9.  I'm planning on taking my practice exam next week so I am trying to make sure I have all my ducks in a row.


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## elena.delucia (Oct 25, 2013)

I take mine 11/16. Let me know how it went!


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