Practicode: Remove Your CPC-A and Get Job-Ready
600 real, redacted medical cases. Immediate feedback. The fastest recognized path to removing your apprentice designation.
Meet Your Instructor
Janine Mothershed, CPC, CPC-I, CADS, CAC
Founder & Lead Instructor
Janine built her coding career from an $18/hour first job to CMS auditing with Optum, and has since guided more than 1,000 students to certification through her AAPC-approved school. With 20+ years of professional coding experience and 20 years in EMS, she leads every Practicode cohort personally.
“I won’t tell you it’s easy, because it isn’t. But if you’re willing to put in the work, I’ll teach you the skills, and I’ll be in your corner the whole way.”
What Is Practicode?
Practicode is AAPC’s web-based practical training program that lets new coders work real-world, HIPAA-redacted medical records across multiple specialties. You code actual cases, receive immediate feedback, and build the speed and accuracy employers screen for. It shows you exactly where your skill gaps are and closes them before your first job interview.
Why the CPC-A Removal Matters
When you pass the CPC exam, AAPC awards the credential as CPC-A, which stands for Apprentice. Many employers filter out CPC-A resumes because the designation signals no hands-on experience. Completing Practicode is one of AAPC’s recognized pathways to remove one year of the experience requirement, moving you from CPC-A toward full CPC status and dramatically widening the jobs you qualify for.
How It Works at Coding Clarified
- 600 cases across real specialties, completed online within an instructor-supported weekly schedule
- Immediate feedback on every case so you learn specialty-specific intricacies as you go
- Flexible schedule: most students complete it alongside or right after certification
- Fits the full pathway: CPC Certification → Practicode → Guaranteed HCC Internship → Registered Apprenticeship network
How Practicode Removes the A
AAPC requires two years of coding experience to remove the apprentice designation. You can substitute for both years without waiting on a job:
- 80 hours of coding education counts as one year. Our instructor-led CPC course meets this requirement.
- Practicode completion counts as the other year.
- Submit your proof of both to AAPC through your account, and the A comes off your credential.
For every removal route side by side, read what CPC-A certification is and how to remove the A.
What the Practicode Cases Involve
Each case is a real, HIPAA-redacted medical record. You read the documentation and assign the codes the way a working coder would, then Practicode scores your answer and shows the correct coding with rationale. Cases cover the specialties you will see on the job, including:
- Evaluation and management visits
- Surgery across body systems
- Radiology, pathology, and laboratory
- Anesthesia and medicine
- ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding and HCPCS Level II, with modifiers
Use the same CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II books and coding tools you used for the CPC exam.
Practicode vs. Real Work Experience
| Practicode | Coding job experience | |
|---|---|---|
| Counts toward removing the A | Yes, one year | Yes, verified year by year |
| Time to complete | Weeks to a few months | One to two years |
| Need a job first | No | Yes |
| Feedback on your coding | Immediate, on every case | Depends on your employer |
| What employers see | Hands on chart practice across specialties | Production in a real workflow |
Practicode does not replace a job, but it gets you to full CPC status sooner, and that opens more job postings. Pair it with real chart work in our internship to stand out even more.
Duration & Cost
Most students complete Practicode in 2 to 3 months working part-time hours. Practicode is included with our CPC training bundle. See current enrollment options, or ask about scholarship and workforce funding that may cover it. Enrolled students request their module on the Practicode Module Request Form.
If you buy Practicode directly from AAPC, the CPC-A practicum is listed at $299 at the time of writing. For Coding Clarified students, it is part of tuition, along with your CPC exam voucher, AAPC membership, and code books. Compare the full picture in our medical coding training cost guide.
Practicode FAQs
Does Practicode remove the CPC-A?
Practicode counts as one year of the two year experience requirement. Combined with 80 hours of coding education, it can remove the A without a year of work experience.
How long does Practicode take?
Most students finish in 2 to 3 months working part time hours.
How much does Practicode cost?
AAPC lists the CPC-A practicum at $299 at the time of writing. It is included in Coding Clarified tuition.
When should I start Practicode?
Most Coding Clarified students start right after they pass the CPC exam, so the cases build on everything they learned in the course. Your instructor will tell you when you are ready.
Is Practicode hard?
It is designed to feel like real work. The immediate feedback on every case is what makes it a strong teacher, and your instructor support helps you through the difficult specialties.
Enroll
View Programs & Pricing → | Check Scholarship Eligibility →
Learn More
Deep-dive articles from our blog: How to Pass Practicode Cases Faster • Using AAPC Codify for Practicode • Should I Complete Practicode?