Preparing for the CPC exam is one thing—knowing how to efficiently navigate your coding manuals during the exam is what truly determines your success. If you’re using eBooks for AAPC CPC exam instead of physical manuals, your strategy needs to be even sharper.
Understanding the CPC Exam Format
The AAPC CPC exam is timed (100 questions, 4 hours) and open-book, meaning you are allowed to use:
- CPT
- ICD-10-CM
- HCPCS Level II
When using eBooks, speed and navigation skills become critical because you won’t have physical tabs or handwritten notes to rely on.
Key Differences: eBooks vs. Physical Books
Before diving into strategy, understand what changes with eBooks:
Advantages:
- Search (Ctrl + F / Find feature)
- No page flipping
- Clean, searchable text
Challenges:
- Limited or no annotations (depending on platform)
- Slower navigation if you don’t know the exact terms
- Cannot “tab” sections like physical books
Master the Search Function (Your #1 Tool)
Your most powerful tool in an eBook is the search function.
Best Practices:
-
Search key terms, not full questions
Example: Instead of searching “laparoscopic appendectomy with rupture”
→ search “appendectomy laparoscopic.” -
Use medical root words
→ “cholecyst” instead of “gallbladder removal.” -
Avoid common words like:
- with
- without
- procedure
Pro tip
Search the main term first, just like you would in the Alphabetic Index.
Start with ICD-10-CM (When Diagnosis is Required)
Many CPC questions require diagnosis coding first.
Steps:
- Identify the condition
- Search the main term in the ICD-10-CM eBook
- Review subterms
- Verify in the Tabular List
Important
- Always confirm laterality (left, right, bilateral)
-
Check for:
- “Code first”
- “Use additional code.”
- Excludes1 vs Excludes2 notes
CPT Coding Strategy in eBooks
CPT is where most students lose time.
Efficient Workflow:
- Identify the procedure type
- Search the main procedure term
-
Narrow by:
- Approach (open, laparoscopic)
- Site
- Extent of service
Use the Table of Contents (TOC):
- Surgery section (10000–69990)
- Medicine section (90281–99607)
- Radiology, Path/Lab, etc.
Pro tip
If search results are overwhelming:
- Go directly to the code range
- Then scroll within that section
HCPCS Level II Tips
HCPCS questions are often quicker—but only if you know what to look for.
Common Categories:
- J-codes (drugs)
- E-codes (DME)
- A-codes (supplies)
Search Tips:
- Use drug names (generic preferred)
- Search by equipment type (e.g., “wheelchair”)
Time Management Strategy
You have 2.4 minutes per question—you cannot over-search.
Recommended Approach:
- Answer what you know immediately
- Mark difficult questions
- Return later if time allows
Avoid:
- Overusing the search for simple questions
- Getting stuck on one question
Practice Before Exam Day
Do not wait until exam day to learn eBook navigation.
You should practice:
- Searching terms quickly
- Switching between manuals
- Locating code ranges without hesitation
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Searching for full sentences instead of keywords
- Skipping Tabular/List verification
- Ignoring coding guidelines and notes
- Spending too long on one question
- Not recognizing synonyms (e.g., “excision” vs “removal”)
Final Exam Strategy
Think of your eBooks as tools—not crutches.
- You should confirm answers, not rely on searching everything
- Strong foundational knowledge = faster navigation
- Confidence comes from repetition and familiarity
Bottom Line
Using CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS eBooks during the CPC exam is absolutely effective—but only if you know how to use them strategically.
Success comes down to:
- Knowing what to search
- Knowing where to look
- Knowing when to move on
Physical Code Books vs. eBooks for the AAPC CPC Exam: The Rules and How to Choose
The AAPC CPC exam is an open book exam, and you choose how you bring your books: printed code books or the eBooks built into the exam. Both options work. What matters is that you know the rules for the option you choose and that you practice the same way you will test. Time is the number one reason people do not pass the CPC exam, so every rule below is about helping you find answers faster.
Only three code books are allowed
You may use three code books on the CPC exam, and nothing else:
- CPT Professional Edition (AMA)
- ICD-10-CM
- HCPCS Level II
No notebooks, no workbook, no medical dictionary, no study guide, and no printed notes. If it is not one of those three code books, it stays home.
1. Using physical code books
Printed books let you carry your own notes into the exam, as long as you follow these rules:
- Handwritten notes only. Write directly on the pages of your code books. Use a fine point pen so your notes fit in the margins and stay readable.
- Tabs are allowed. Tab the sections you use most so you can open to them without flipping.
- Nothing may be added to the book. No tape, no glue, no whiteout, no extra pages, and no Post-its or sticky notes. Do not staple, clip, or tuck anything inside the book.
- Start your notes on day one. Every time you look something up, such as a medical term, an abbreviation, or a guideline, write it in your code book where you will need it again. By exam day your books become your personal reference.
Best for: coders who think better with a book open in front of them and who will put in the work to build handwritten notes and tabs during the course.
2. Using eBooks
If you test with eBooks, you use the default set of code books provided inside the exam. Here is what that means:
- You get a search function. Search is your most important tool. Practice searching by main term, code, and keyword until it is automatic.
- You do not get your notes. The exam eBooks are a clean default set. Any notes or highlights you made in your own eBooks during the course will not be there on exam day.
- No tabs. You move through the books with search and the table of contents, so you must know how each book is organized.
Best for: coders who are fast and comfortable on a computer and who have practiced timed questions using only search, with no notes to lean on.
HCPCS Level II: what to expect
Expect about six HCPCS Level II questions on the CPC exam. Coding Clarified students are on auto ship for the 2027 HCPCS Level II book, so it arrives without you needing to order it. Know how to use the index and the Table of Drugs, and do not spend exam time memorizing codes.
Try both before you decide
Do not guess which format is faster for you. Test it. Take some of your chapter quizzes and exams with your eBooks and some with your physical books, and track two numbers each time:
- Your time. How long did the quiz or exam take you?
- Your accuracy. What was your score?
After a few chapters you will have real numbers for each format. Choose the one that gives you the best accuracy in the least time, then use that format for your practice exams and for exam day.
The workplace is digital, so practice digital
Some people learn better with a physical book in their hands, and that is fine. It is the reason both options are available to every student. Understand where the field is headed, though: employers use digital code books and digital lookup tools, not physical books. Even if you test with your physical books, keep practicing with your eBooks throughout the course. When you start your first coding job, you need to be able to navigate electronically with confidence.
Which option should you choose?
- Choose physical books if your time and accuracy are better with your handwritten notes and tabs.
- Choose eBooks if your time and accuracy are better with search and you can work without notes.
- Keep your digital skills sharp either way. Your exam format is your choice. Electronic navigation is a job skill every coder needs.
Coding Clarified students
The complete code book rules are in your Chapter 1 Janine Book Notes inside the course. Read them before you write anything in your books.
Keep studying
This article is part of our CPC exam prep study hub, with everything you need to prepare for and pass the CPC exam.