Thanks! I am so relieved to have the test behind me! I must admit I'm having a little trouble getting back into study mode for Module IV.
I thought I'd share my preparation and CPC experience. First, I worked on the supplemental exercises Debby gave me. I purchased the practice exams from AAPC. The first time I took them, I got a 79%. I wasn't very happy with that score, that's for sure. So, I went back and re-reviewed the Coding Guidelines, particularly areas where I knew I was weak. I also went back and reviewed both Hazelwood and Kuehn, again especially in my "weak" areas. Here's where I should probably say I "studied" HCPCS, but I just don't know if I'll ever totally understand that one, so okay I glanced through it! :)
The day before my test, I took a PTO day and looked at the day just as if it was exam day. I took the AAPC practice exams again, but this time strictly timed and with purpose. I finished them in just over five hours and this time I scored a 91%, an improvement! After that, my studying was done and it was time to relax, have a nice dinner and get some rest. Surprisingly, I actually slept pretty well except, of course, for my usual nightly awakenings to code "things."
Exam day: I got up at 5:00 AM and I was so ready. I arrived a little early so I was able to pick my "spot." There were 18 of us scheduled for exams and when I looked around the room, it didn't seem like there was enough room for all of us to spread out our books and be comfortable. I grabbed a seat at the end of a table, so at least that way I would only have one person next to me. Once I started the test, I was on a mission. I didn't get up once. I brought water and snacks, but barely drank any water and did have a few nuts about three hours in. It is amazing how fast 5 hours and 40 minutes goes by. There was a clock in the room and occasionally I did look up to see how I was doing. Other than that, my head was down. I finished about 5 minutes ahead of time, so I took that time to check my bubbles to make sure they were all filled in and/or dark enough.
It was such a relief to see PASS, although I must admit waiting for the results was almost as hard as taking the test. I really had no idea if I had passed or failed!