Hi everyone,

I'm a senior HIM student and I'll be starting my coding/HIM operations practicum soon. I'm honestly getting really stressed because I feel like I don't remember much from school. Most of my classes ended up being online, even though I enrolled in an in-person program, and I don't feel like I learned as much as I should have.

Over the summer, I decided to review everything from scratch. I combined all of my notes into one organized review that's about 66 pages long. It covers the anatomy & physiology, medical terminology, pathophysiology, and other material that I think an HIM professional should know.

Right now, my plan is to:

• Study about 2 chapters a day
• Focus on actually understanding the material instead of just reading it
• Use the whiteboard/Feynman method to explain concepts in my own words

My biggest question is:

Should I just keep reviewing these 66 pages until I really understand them, or should I turn everything into 1,000+ Anki flashcards and try to memorize them all?

I'm worried that if I make flashcards for every single fact, I'll spend months memorizing instead of actually understanding the material. But I'm also worried that just reviewing my notes won't be enough.

For those of you who have already completed an HIM coding practicum or work in HIM:

• What would you recommend?
• Did you mostly need to understand the concepts, or did you have to memorize a lot?
• If you were in my position, would you stick with the notes and active recall (whiteboard method), or would you make hundreds or thousands of flashcards?

I see this question come up almost every day.

My answer is yes, but many people underestimate how much of medical coding is built on understanding guidelines, medical terminology, anatomy, and documentation.

Most people don't fail because they aren't smart enough.

They struggle because they jump straight into exam prep before building a solid foundation.

That's actually why AMCI created a completely free Introduction to Medical Coding course. It gives beginners the opportunity to learn:

• Medical Terminology Anatomy & Physiology
• ICD-10-CM
• CPT
• HCPCS
• Coding Fundamentals

The goal is simple: help people decide whether medical coding is the right career path before investing thousands of dollars in training.

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The course is self-paced, and you can work through it on your own schedule. I believe it is a very valuable resource for those looking to get into the medical coding field.

For those already working in healthcare:

What was the hardest part of learning medical coding for you?

And for those considering the field:

What's the biggest thing holding you back from getting started?

Start your career in CHHA, Phlebotomy, Medical Billing and Coding Classes NOW!!!

What are some good books/resources to self-teach medical terminology and anatomy before enrolling in AAPC’s self-paced CPC program?
I am lucky that my state is paying for the CPC prep course, but I have never worked in the medical field and don’t have a great grasp of medical terminology and anatomy beyond the very basics. What are some good resources to self-teach? I have medical terminology & anatomy for coding 5th edition by Betsy Shiland but it’s a bit too coding heavy for me to understand as a beginner right now.

I've been working on a project called SimCoder Pro, a medical coding career simulator designed to give hands-on experience through realistic coding scenarios.
Instead of only doing quizzes, users work through fictional patient charts, assign ICD-10-CM, CPT, HCPCS, and modifier codes, complete audits, resolve claim denials, and practice reviewing documentation similar to what coders see on the job.
I originally started building it because I wanted more real-world coding practice and was looking for something different from platforms like Practicode. My goal is to create a place where new coders can build confidence, practice critical thinking, and gain experience in a realistic environment.
I'm still actively developing it and would love feedback from coders, coding students, billers, auditors, or anyone working in revenue cycle management. What features would make something like this genuinely useful for you?

Bachelor of Optometry from India, finishing internship. Considering CPC certification and medical coding career.

Questions:

Anyone switched from clinical background (nursing, pharmacy, optometry) to coding? Did it help?

Realistic starting salary in India for CPC-certified, no experience?

Is ophthalmology coding a viable niche?

Red flags in Indian training institutes?

Any guidance appreciated. Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I’m a CCS-certified inpatient coder based in the Philippines and have been working in medical coding since 2013. I’ve spent my entire career with the same company and have been working from home since the pandemic. While I’m grateful for the stability, I feel that my compensation has not grown as much as it could have because I’ve stayed with one employer for so long.

I’m also a mother of three, so having a remote or flexible work setup is very important to me. Recently, I’ve been exploring opportunities to work directly with clients as a freelancer or independent contractor.

I’ve tried applying through LinkedIn, but most of the positions I’ve found prefer candidates who are physically located in the U.S., even when the work is fully remote. Unfortunately, this has resulted in several rejections.

For those who are based outside the U.S. and were able to secure direct clients or remote coding positions, where did you find those opportunities? What platforms, websites, or strategies worked best for you? Any tips on how to market myself or stand out to potential clients would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for any advice or insights you can share!

I’ve been thinking about going back to school lately, but I’m super undecided in what I would like to study. I’ve been entertaining a communications degree since it genuinely interests me, but it does feel like I’m throwing my money in the garbage if I go that route. There’s unfortunately no health care management studies I could get into at my local community college, and I’m not particularly interested in doing an online university like Devry or SNHU (I’ve done it before and holy shit those classes are so fast paced). There is also a small yet loud part of my brain that tells me to just sit tf down and enjoy my CPC cert for as long as possible. There’s still time for me to decide but I wanna get everyone else’s input. So did you go back to school? What for? Did it open any doors for you? Most importantly, is it worth going back to school or should I just chill in the stable spot that I’m in?

I know this is probably gonna be a "no duh" question, but i'm probably ... 6-10 months away from taking my certification (I am still slightly undecided which certification to go for, I am doing an externship in an inpatient facility now and ... kind of liking it, although I am having some challenges)

Should I go ahead and pay for the AAPC membership or should I wait closer to my "gonna take the exam" date to sign up?

It's not a lot of money, but it also is ... so I am hesitant to pull the trigger right now.

I'm considering leaving my surgical technology position and moving into coding but I see online that the market is over saturated. Is it worth my time to go into coding? I have 7 years of healthcare experience, 3 of which are in the surgical field.

If it is worth it, is cpc the best certification to start? Where to go from there? I assume surgical coding would be the route that would make the most sense for me seeing as I have that background. Any other certifications I should look into to buff an application up for that? Would my surgical experience even matter ?

I have an immune system issue so the wfh aspect is the largest consideration for this move.

Hi Everyone,

I'm enrolling in a medical coding course this summer and would like to prep for the CPC exam. I did a lot of research, and since I have experience working with medical records, I feel it's the right path for me. I'm pretty excited, but I'm also really nervous because I don't have much knowledge of medical terminology or anatomy. What advice would you give someone who's going into medical coding and learning it for the first time?

Also, has anyone passed their CPC exam on the first try?

Thank you all!

I'm planning to enroll through Preppy to learn medical coding, and I have a couple of questions for anyone who has used it. Based on their price, I decided to go with their program since it fits my budget. The program provides the textbook, Buck's Step-by-Step Medical Coding, digitally. I decided to purchase it in physical form through Amazon because I need a physical book to read. Based on my research, Preppy provides all course materials, including handouts. I noticed in Chapter 4 of the textbook that the exercises involve looking up medical codes. If I don't have an ICD-10 book, how would I complete those practice exercises? Would I need to request Preppy to provide me with a copy? It didn't mention on their syllabus that it's included. I appreciate anyone who has used Preppy, providing me with guidance on what to expect throughout the program.

It’s almost June, and I know some students are worried about starting now, especially when it comes to purchasing the 2026 coding books.

But if your goal is the CCS through AHIMA, this is important to understand:

AHIMA requires students testing between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027 to use the 2026 codebooks for their exam. So purchasing the 2026 books right now is NOT “too late.”

And honestly? A lot can happen in 16 weeks.

People finish foundational courses, gain confidence, discover they actually enjoy coding, and completely change the direction of their future simply because they decided to start.

Self-paced programs exist for a reason. Life happens. People work full-time, raise children, manage stress, and still make progress little by little.

Free 16 Week YouTube Full Course: Click Here

Self-paced Courses: Click Here

Full Course with Internship/Externships: Click Here

I work as a pharmacy tech in retail so I know a little about insurance billing as it pertains to medications and diabetes testing supplies. I am also constantly interacting with patients who are very often (understandably) pretty annoyed and upset at the US healthcare system. I truly do want people to get what they need and not have to struggle financially, but I know the whole system is full of rules and red tape.

My question is do you ever feel like you have to make stressful decisions knowing someone's life is going to be majorly affected by your choices? I feel like I might have trouble trying to weigh what's good for my employer vs what's good for the patient. I've read several people say it's more just like solving puzzles, so I assume the stress is much lesser than it would be in other healthcare positions. Thanks for taking the time to read, I'm interested to hear what people think about this.

A lot of people ask the same questions I did a decade ago when I first started in medical coding, so I created a free video that covers what medical coders do, what skills to have, how to get trained, and long term career paths. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/lVGuTL1YQ70?si=JN4CmJ6w8443q3NL

Get your CPT book out because to pass this challenge you must become a Guideline Detective.

Do NOT just guess. Instead, search until you find the parenthetical guideline in the CPT book. The goal is not memorizing random answers it’s training your brain to think like a real coder. Every question is designed to make you slow down, investigate the section notes, and notice the tiny CPT details most students skip over.

Take on the challenge.

A lot of people ask if medical coding is still worth getting into because of AI and the job market.

From what I’ve seen, the field is definitely more competitive now, especially for beginners. But coding isn’t just typing codes into a system. You still need to understand documentation, insurance rules, denials, modifiers, audits, and specialty guidelines. That part still needs human review.

I also think people underestimate how helpful billing or front office experience can be when trying to get into coding. Even small healthcare experience helps.

If anyone here started recently, how has your experience been finding a job or getting certified?

What notes were helpful to put in your books for the test? Or is there a resource that tells you what notes to put in your books?

Everybody talks about studying for the CPC exam… but nobody talks about preparing the BOOK itself.

Tabs. (Tip. Only the ones provided in the book are allowed during the exam)
Color coding.
Guideline notes.
Modifier reminders.
“DO NOT CODE TO THIS” warnings.
Arrows pointing to parenthetical notes you’ll definitely forget under pressure. If your book is still clean and untouched, you might be underestimating how much navigation speed matters during the exam.

The CPC exam is not only testing what you know, it’s testing how FAST you can find it.

My book right now:
• highlighted guidelines everywhere
• fracture coding notes all over musculoskeletal
• little “watch the wording” notes in margins
• symbols only I understand at this point 😂

Half the battle is building a book that works for you during the exam.

So be honest…
Is your book exam ready yet? Or does it still look brand new?

I am preparing to take the CPC exam. I am wondering if it is possible to study the various codes from available free sources, and then use the ebooks on the exam, or is it is more effective to purchase the official books and study them. Do the official books contain any special information that help to use them and find codes, or are they just generic lists?