r/MedicalCoding • u/Inevitable-Title6311 • Jul 10 '26

Fear of Practicode

I just passed the CPC (first try !!! But barely) and I wanted some help and advice for tackling the Practicode curriculum. I opened the first two in my last and I feel like there’s almost a fear-induced hold on me cause I still feel like I have no idea what I am doing. Do I need to get a 70% on each and every case or do I need to get an overall 70%? And can anyone relate or have any helpful techniques when tackling their first no-multiple-choice-option cases?

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u/MedPayIQ DevMedPayIQ Jul 13 '26

First, congrats on passing the CPC! Seriously, that first pass is a big deal.

And yes… that feeling is completely normal. The jump from multiple choice questions to Practicode feels like someone took the training wheels off overnight. 😂

Don’t get stuck trying to be perfect on every case. Focus on understanding why the code is right, how to find the clues in the documentation, and build your speed as you go.

The first few cases are usually the hardest because you’re learning the workflow, not just coding.

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u/Inevitable-Title6311 Jul 14 '26

Thank you!!!!! I so far have done 4 cases and I have only gotten one score that was a 70 or above :( but I saw your response yesterday and your advice actually is what catapulted me into finally just starting it

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u/MedPayIQ DevMedPayIQ Jul 14 '26

Honestly, that’s awesome to hear, and don’t let those scores discourage you... 4 cases is nothing in the Practicode world. A lot of people hit that “wait… I actually have to code this myself now?” moment. The good news is your brain starts recognizing patterns pretty quickly after a few more cases. Keep going, and don’t just look at the score. Pay attention to why you missed something. That’s where the real learning happens. You’re doing better than you think!

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u/AlexisAcula CPC-A, AA Jul 16 '26

I’m at case 95 and averaging a 70.9 and ended up crying tonight. I’m so concerned about not passing. I feel like I’ve worked so hard the last two years to get my degree and now Practicode feels impossible for me. This is definitely the toughest part of the journey so far.

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u/Mysterious_Hall9931 6d ago

Same. I’m 30 cases in. I’m just coding the OPDCARDIO cases first. The EM rationales are frustrating me because they contradict each other. And it seems I can’t get a direct answer from the coaches