AAPC Dermatology (CPCD) Examination Practice Test
Dermatology coding practice draws on skin-lesion morphology, disease descriptions, treatment methods, and pathology terminology. The available questions sample recognition of findings such as annular rashes, pustules, and epidermis-confined malignancies, along with distinctions among lesion removal techniques and common dermatologic treatments.
Exam overview
About the AAPC Dermatology (CPCD) Examination Exam
Effective dermatology coding requires connecting the clinician’s description of a lesion or skin condition with the documented diagnosis and service. Practice identifying primary lesion forms, distribution, and relevant descriptors, then distinguishing procedures such as shave removal from other approaches. Questions also sample clinical concepts that inform coding interpretation: actinic keratosis treatment by cryotherapy, infestation causing scabies, skin phototype classification, and baseline considerations before systemic immunomodulating therapy. Pathology language matters when differentiating melanoma in situ or squamous cell carcinoma in situ from invasive disease; the stated tissue depth changes the meaning of the finding. Use this vocabulary to read documentation precisely and avoid treating a morphology term, treatment, or pathology result as interchangeable with a diagnosis.
Sample Practice Questions
Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.
A patient’s rash is documented as annular. Which shape does this term describe?
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Correct answer: AAnnular describes a ring-shaped lesion, often with central clearing. Linear, targetoid, and reticular describe different patterns.
A dermatologist performs a shave removal of a raised lesion by slicing it at the skin surface. Which description best distinguishes this technique?
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Correct answer: AShave removal uses a blade to remove a superficial raised lesion at or near the skin surface. A punch produces a cylindrical specimen, excision removes tissue with an incision, and curettage scrapes tissue.
A dermatologist documents a patient’s Fitzpatrick skin phototype during a consultation. What does this classification primarily describe?
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Correct answer: AThe Fitzpatrick scale classifies skin phototypes by their typical response to ultraviolet exposure, especially the tendency to burn or tan. It does not measure lesion depth, hydration, or collagen content.
A dermatologist freezes a small actinic keratosis using liquid nitrogen. What is the general nature of this treatment?
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Correct answer: ALiquid nitrogen freezes and destroys targeted tissue, which is cryosurgical destruction. It is not an excision that removes an intact specimen, a biopsy, or a repair procedure.
A dermatologist suspects scabies in a patient with intense nighttime itching and similar symptoms in household contacts. Which organism causes scabies?
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Correct answer: AScabies is caused by infestation with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei, which burrows in the superficial skin. The other organisms are not the cause of scabies.
A dermatologist documents a lesion as a pustule. Which description best fits this morphology?
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Correct answer: AA pustule is a superficial raised lesion containing purulent material. A flat color change is a macule or patch, a larger solid elevation is a nodule, and a deep fluid-filled cavity is not the definition of a pustule.
A patient with extensive psoriasis is being considered for a systemic immunomodulating medication. Which baseline review is generally important before treatment begins?
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Correct answer: ASystemic immunomodulating therapies may affect infection risk, so appropriate infection screening and review of medical history are important before treatment. The other assessments do not address this general safety consideration.
How to use this practice test
The free US Practice Tests practice bank contains 50 published questions. A session presents up to 20 random questions, with results shown after completion. Use the questions to check recognition of dermatologic morphology, procedure descriptions, treatment concepts, and pathology terminology, then revisit any distinctions you missed.
Preparation tips
- Make a comparison list of primary lesion terms, including pustule, plaque, and annular configuration, and note what each describes.
- Contrast shave removal with other lesion-removal methods by documenting the tissue level and technique described.
- Practice reading pathology statements for the named disease and whether atypical or malignant cells remain confined to the epidermis or invade deeper tissue.
- Review the clinical concepts behind cryotherapy for actinic keratosis, scabies transmission and cause, and the purpose of Fitzpatrick phototype classification.
- For systemic psoriasis therapy scenarios, identify the baseline safety review described before treatment rather than assuming a specific medication or protocol.