Are you planning on taking the AHIP Medicare training test in the near future? You don’t have to stress! We’ve put together a list of tips and tricks for passing AHIP that will help you improve your chances of getting AHIP certified on the first try!
In order to sell Medicare Advantage plans and Part D products, you must complete specific government-required training, including your AHIP training and certification. At Plan Advisors, we want to provide you with AHIP help on how to best prepare for the exam and how to set yourself up for success throughout the preparation process.
How To: PREPARE
The training modules and AHIP practice quizzes are the best place to start when preparing to take the exam. Think back to when you were preparing to take your driver’s test. How did you prepare to take the exam? (Pro Tip: The answer probably isn’t hoping for the miraculous infusion of knowledge while you slept the night before the test!) It was studying the material from the textbook and taking practice exams, right?
So, before you dive into the exam, set aside some time to go through the AHIP training modules at least once. In fact, we recommend reviewing them multiple times especially if they are new concepts. Take your time going through the information, and let the details resonate with you, especially if it will be your first time taking this exam.
If you are taking the exam to get recertified, it may only be required to take parts four and five, but we recommend retaking each part to refresh your memory and get you ready for all the different questions you’ll encounter on the final test.
HINT: In the past, some questions from the AHIP practice quizzes have appeared on the final exam. It is so important that you feel confident in answering the practice questions and any potential variations.
While navigating the training modules, you will find practice quizzes placed throughout. You are welcome to complete and retake them as many times as you’d like. If you get a question wrong on one of the quizzes, work to dig out the correct answer within the modules. Once you come to the conclusion, write the question down for easy reference if you find that you continue having trouble with the same question or topic of concern.
How To: Take Notes
Take notes — as many notes as you would like. Study them and keep them handy for the test. Spoiler alert: The AHIP test is an open-book test, so you can actually refer to your notes (and the modules themselves) while taking the test!
If you happen to be taking the AHIP exam for the first time, write down the questions or topics you’re struggling with. We even recommend writing down why you are having trouble with the question. Make note of where to find specific answers in the modules so that you can quickly reference them during the final exam. For instance, they may just say, “Look at [insert number or description here] slide for this answer!”
An Open-Book, but Timed, Test
Who doesn’t love an open-book test? This means you can always refer to any materials AHIP provides for you, along with any notes that you take. The fact that AHIP is timed makes it super important that you use your time and resources as efficiently as possible. You don’t want to waste valuable seconds and minutes constantly flipping through pages or scrolling through the modules on your computer.
With that being said, be sure to keep in mind that preparing was one of our tips for a reason. “Open-book” might entice you to forgo studying, but being familiar with the material you’re tested on is always a good idea, especially for open-book exams. Since the exam is timed, you don’t want to spend all of your time searching for answers. You just want to be able to find answers if you can’t remember something or if you encounter a more difficult question!
To complete the test, you must be able to get through 50 questions in two hours. Easy, yes? But, remember you can only spend about two to two and half minutes on each question. This does not include time to review your answers afterwards or go back to any hard questions. It is additionally important to note that if you have to retake the test, the questions are randomly selected meaning you could get different ones each time.
Tech Tips:
Set up multiple windows on one screen!
One way you can save time is by utilizing “split-screening”, or making half of your computer screen show the AHIP exam and the other half show the modules you downloaded. You can do this by opening your favorite internet window and then sizing it to fit half of your screen. Then, open the AHIP training modules you downloaded and size them to fit the other half of your screen.You may also consider having each file take up the whole screen and just flip between the tabs.
Quickly reference keywords within your AHIP materials
Looking for a particular note that can help you answer a specific question? Did you take your notes in an online document? If so, you don’t have to scroll through all of your notes until something looks familiar. Instead, try clicking onto your document where your notes are located, then press the Ctrl and F buttons on your keyboard at the same time to open the “Find” feature! (You can usually use the “Find” feature while in a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, PDF, or web page.) Then, type in a keyword or short phrase and click “enter.” The tool should allow you to quickly go to the places in the document where that word or phrase is mentioned.
Unfortunately, this trick will no longer work for searching the modules. So, TAKE NOTES!
Pro Tip: Enter only one keyword or a really short phrase when using the “Find” feature.
Plan Advisors’ Extra Tricks:
If you happen to struggle with test anxiety or get butterflies in your stomach come game time, we discovered some tips and tricks to creating a conducive test-taking environment to ease your nerves.
- Find a good location. Try your home office, your living room, the local library, or a coffee shop where you can find some peace and quiet. Be sure to plug into a power outlet and ensure that your location contains a stable internet connection.
- Limit your exposure to outside distractions. Put away your cell phone and silence your email notifications. Close all other programs on your computer. (Social media can wait!) Utilize a good pair of comfortable, noise-canceling headphones if needed.
- Create a comfortable ambiance. Do you enjoy a lit candle or your wax warmer? Get that set up prior to starting the exam! Slip into your favorite outfit. Open your windows to let in fresh air. Can you think of anything else to create your ideal environment? We encourage you to take any other necessary steps to ensure you’ll be comfortable and relaxed!
- Grab your favorite drink and a few snacks. Whether you enjoy coffee, tea, or water, fruit, chips and salsa, or veggies and dip — have your favorite snacks and drinks handy. Plus, this step could help you minimize distractions if you’re somebody who might benefit from a quick snack break during the exam.
- Be optimistic! Are you a glass-half-full type of person? Those who are more optimistic, tend to better manage stress, and that, in turn, has a whole lot of other health benefits!
Those Medicare agents who have ventured around the block a few times say that AHIP is manageable once you get the hang of it. If you happen to get more questions incorrect than you thought you would, or if you fail your first time taking the final AHIP exam, don’t beat yourself up. Just be sure to note the areas that you held hesitations for, and study up on those areas a little more.
Remember, you have three chances to pass the exam! Plan Advisors encourages you to put in the effort you need to, take notes, and create an ideal test-taking location. We believe that you will pass and may even have chances to spare!
Do you still have questions? Contact us at 502.228.1308 or email us at info@myplanadvisors.com.
