| Last week, we talked with Pamela Biffle CPC, CPC-I, | | | | "Students Like The Professor To Teach Complex |
| CHCC, CHCO, who gave us some tips for acing the | | | | Hypotheses" to remember the carpal bones: Scaphoid, |
| exam. She taught us so much, we're back for more. | | | | Lunate, Triquetral, Pisiform, Trapezium, Trapezoid, |
| But first, a fun fact: Biffle is so passionate about coding | | | | Capitate, Hamate. |
| she actually collects vintage CPT manuals, and her | | | | But even the cleverest memory tool won't help you |
| collection dates back to the groovy 1970s! You can be | | | | unless it makes sense to you, Biffle stresses. |
| sure someone with that level of dedication to our | | | | 3. Mark up your manual as you study |
| profession has some good advice, so here are her 4 | | | | We've discussed this general technique often on My |
| tips: | | | | Coding Career, and Biffle has some particularly clever |
| 1. Make sure you have a sound coding foundation | | | | tips. Example: Using the Physician Fee Schedule, mark |
| before you take an exam prep class | | | | all the codes in your CPT manuals that can take |
| Three-day CPC exam training camps like Coding | | | | modifier 26. This is a long list of codes, so use a stamp |
| aren't designed to teach you coding from scratch, | | | | to quickly move through your book. Students who take |
| Biffle stresses. If you don't have some coding | | | | Biffle's class get her list of modifier 26 codes, so they |
| knowledge before you begin the class, it won't do you | | | | don't have to wonder during the exam. |
| much good. | | | | 4. Exam Room Time Management Tip: |
| Instead, she and her fellow instructors aim to teach | | | | Complete the shortest questions first. All the questions |
| you how to take the test and help you fill in your | | | | on the exam are worth the same number of points, |
| coding knowledge gaps. If you're unsure about | | | | whether they are one-liners you can read in a flash or |
| whether you're ready to take an exam prep training | | | | longer coding scenarios that take you several minutes |
| camp, you can contact a friendly customer service rep | | | | to plow through. So you can rack up the most points if |
| at She'll ask you some screening questions to help you | | | | you complete the shortest questions first. |
| judge whether you're ready and whether a class is a | | | | When you first get your test, find all the short answers |
| good investment for you. | | | | in your test booklet first and answer them if you can, |
| 2. Come up with your OWN mnemonics, or tools for | | | | Biffle suggests. Then move to 2-line questions, and so |
| remembering things | | | | on. Then, go to the longer op note and coding scenario |
| A mnemonic is an acronym or phrase that helps you | | | | questions later, starting with the specialties you're most |
| remember important facts. For example, the | | | | comfortable with. |
| orthopedic coding editor at uses the mnemonic | | | | |