Fundamentals of Medicine Course
Learning the language of healthcare does not need to be slow and tedious.
AAPC has combined all three recommended prerequisites courses (medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology) into one course to speed up the process and to quickly prepare you for your medical coding and billing coursework.
When to enroll
This course is applicable for beginners with no healthcare experience or for professionals who need to refresh their knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology prior to starting training for the CPC, CPB, CPPM, COC, CIC, and CRC.
Value
Get a baseline of knowledge that will help you move quickly and confidently through any AAPC medical billing and coding course.
Education and experience requirements
No experience necessary. AAPC prerequisite courses are recommended, but not required.
Course length
Self-paced: Average time of completion is 40 hours over two to three months.
Instructor-led: 12 weeks from start date to completion. New courses start every week.
Continuing education units
20 CEUs for AAPC-certified members. CEUs are only applicable to CPC, CPPM, COC, CPB, CIC, and CRC credentials.
Financial options
Pay over time. Make easy monthly payments over 12 months.
Course curriculum overview
You will learn medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology for a wide range of topics, applying what is learned to reading and interpreting a medical record. This course is valuable for anyone preparing for a career in any non-clinical medical profession, and strongly recommended for anyone who is preparing for an AAPC certification examination.
Training objectives
Identify how to use medical terminology to prepare a medical record
Use anatomic reference systems to identify anatomic positions and landmarks
Understand an overview of the pathophysiology of common conditions
What students are saying
I took the live online course offered by AAPC and it was worth every penny. I sent my instructor a thank you note today.
Vanessa Bontempi
The courses through AAPC are great and prepare you for the exam.
Pereza Corp
I took the online AAPC course. It was full of useful information and I passed my test the first time.
Danielle Ledford
Course bundle includes
Free required eBooks
Self-paced included book: Fundamentals of Medicine, (eBook); 978-1-646-31812-4
3 books are required for the instructor-led course:
Medical Terminology an Illustrated Guide, Ninth Edition; Barbara Janson Cohen, Shirley A. Jones; Jones & Bartlett Learning; ISBN: 978-1-975-13637-6 2.
Structure & Function of the Body, 16th Edition (eBook); Kevin Patton, Gary Thibodeau; Elsevier; ISBN: 978-0-323-65577-4 3.
Understanding Pathophysiology; Huether, S., McCance, K.
Certificate of completion
Why train with AAPC?
We’ll be here to support you every step of the way — through tools and resources, payment plans, CEUs, workshops, networking events, and more.
You get to train with the same experts who created the exams. Why study at an institution that bases its curriculum on AAPC’s when you can train directly with us?
Any credential you earn through us will be recognized worldwide. Our education is trusted globally, positioning AAPC as a leader in training and certification.
Join a professional network of 275,000+ members. We’re the world's largest training and credentialing organization for the business of healthcare.