How Hard Is the AAPC CPC Exam?
The AAPC CPC exam is no walk in the park, just so you know as you prepare to take your AAPC CPC exam. The exam requires a lot of input from your side in terms of preparedness. Many people go to the exam room and come out dejected due to the complexity of this exam. In fact, according to recent reports, about 40-50% of all students fail the AAPC CPC exam. This is worrying for a lot of people and it may not be getting better for anyone any time soon. So why is the AAPC CPC exam so hard? Here are some possible explanation.
One thing that makes the exam a tough one is that the certification is highly sought-after. Not to mention that standards need to be improved every year. After all, your salaries depends on it. You know that nothing good comes on a silver plate. The levels of this exam are set to sieve the cream of the medical industry and leave behind those who do not pass. You will not just walk into a CPC exam room and expect to come out with a certification and a new salary level.
Because getting certified as a medical coder brings with it a certain level of competence and benefits, many people enroll to get certified as a medical coder. This means that every year, thousands of people sit for the exam. The levels therefore, have to be set high at all times. You are in for a challenging paper and there is the need for you to be well-prepared for it to avoid disappointments afterwards. Know that many other determined people are looking forward to pass the exam and the examiners are aware of it too. Rather than worry about the exam passing rate, it is better to focus on getting yourself as prepared as possible.
Take time therefore, to prepare for the exam. This should be a few months or days before the exam day. Look for past tests and get notes from resourceful papers to help you prepare for the exam. Be fresh mentally to help you be strong throughout the exam period. Ensure that the papers you read are reliable and official guides for the exam. You can hire a coach to help you with the revision, and online guides are also reliable to make you ready for the paper all the way.
As you may know, exam takes 6 hours which a very long time for a paper. You need to be ready for this from the very start. The exam is challenging and anything can happen in the end. But if you fail, you can still retake the CPC certification exam. Just figure out where you went wrong and build from there. You may experience a lot of pressure (especially because of the time!) so make sure you are ready for it. Be strong in mind and take your time with each question. While the AAPC CPC exam can be hard, passing the exam is possible in the first attempt, as many had done so.