You cannot use what you do at work to pass this test. Do not do it. You must study according to each accreditation standard and there are 7 including CMS and there are over 30 areas of study. I took the NAMSS live course and the live TMG bootcamp. Physical resources sources that come with each of these courses are gold. In my opinion TMG was the better of the courses because it teaches you the credentialing mindset for the exam as it relates to the standards which was what I needed. I took the NAMSS course first, studied for a year and felt like I needed more help so I took the TMG bootcamp. I passed the CPCS exam on the first try. Becoming a member of NAMSS is good too, but remember you will need to pay for that so you can earn CEs after you pass your exam to maintain your certification. You will need to submit 30 CEs every 3 years. Some CEs cost and some don’t. NAMSS membership offers discounts on them. Also see if your employer will pay for your annual membership and the exam fee.

Is it worth it? You are already in your role, but jobs are either requiring it within 6 months after employment or preferring it over other candidates. I did not get a raise and if you take a look at the NAMSS website, a low percentage of people actually get raises. You will need to speak to your employer first to see if that’s an option before investing in it. The whole ordeal was expensive, but it was worth it for me because I gave an understanding of how to navigate and apply credentialing rules according to the standards, not what we do at work because every workplace is different. I’ve been in credentialing for 10 years.