MedStudy is a modern, intuitive study app designed to help users master medical coding through interactive flashcards and structured study sessions. With a clean blue and yellow UI, it provides an engaging and distraction-free learning experience. Users can track study progress, build custom flashcard decks, and schedule study sessions. The app’s seamless flow makes adding and reviewing medical codes effortless, ensuring efficient retention and mastery of ICD-10, CPT, and other coding systems.
The medical field offers a variety of career paths, each with its own entry barriers—ranging from four-year degrees to advanced certifications. One such career, Certified Professional Coding (CPC), presents an exciting yet challenging opportunity for those looking to enter the healthcare industry. This field is both demanding and rewarding, offering career stability and growth for those who excel.
However, obtaining the CPC certification is notoriously difficult, with a rigorous exam and a first-time pass rate of only 40-60%. Despite the career benefits, many aspiring coders struggle to find effective, accessible, and affordable study resources that prepare them for success.
Current CPC exam preparation options are limited and often expensive. The two primary study methods include:
Though there is a mobile study app available, it is locked behind seminar enrollment, further limiting access to those who can afford both. These barriers leave many aspiring coders without a reliable, structured, and affordable way to prepare for the CPC exam.
The goal of this project is to design and develop an end-to-end study app tailored specifically for CPC exam preparation, providing accessible, high-quality study resources to a broader audience.
This app will offer:
By making effective CPC exam preparation more accessible, structured, and affordable, this app aims to empower more students to succeed in their certification journey—removing financial and logistical barriers to entry.
MedStudy offers a structured, flexible, and affordable approach to CPC exam preparation, setting it apart from both community college courses and YouTube tutorials. Unlike expensive college programs with fixed schedules and limited interactivity, MedStudy allows users to study on their own time with adaptive learning paths, flashcards, and mock exams. Compared to YouTube, which lacks organization and interactive tools, MedStudy provides expert-backed content, guided study plans, and community support to keep learners on track. With progress tracking, study sessions, and certification readiness features, MedStudy is the most efficient and accessible way to master medical coding.
With conducting user interviews, the feedback I received help me create an affinity map that served as the early foundation of what MedStudy was to become down the road. The initial feedback from the users highlighted the convenience, affordability, and flexibility of using a study app compared to traditional resources like community college courses or expensive seminars. One user appreciated the self-paced structure, allowing them to study whenever and wherever they wanted, unlike rigid college schedules. Another user found the interactive features, like flashcards and progress tracking, more engaging than passive learning through textbooks or YouTube videos. To see the full interviews, please click here
With conducting user interviews, the feedback I received help me create an affinity map that served as the early foundation of what MedStudy was to become down the road. Creating this allowed me to put all user data in one place and prioritize what needs to be done to move forward.
Developing these Personas allowed me to step into the shoes of my target users, uncovering their needs, frustrations, and goals. By bringing them to life, I could deeply understand how MedStudy could bridge the gap in CPC exam preparation. These Personas didn’t just exist on paper—they became the driving force behind every design decision, ensuring the app truly serves those who need it most.
Clearly defining both the Business Goals and User Goals for MedStudy allowed me to establish two distinct yet interconnected paths—each driving the app’s success. The Business Goals laid the foundation for a strong, sustainable growth strategy, while the User Goals shaped the features and experiences that attract, engage, and retain users. By aligning these objectives, MedStudy is positioned to not only meet business milestones but also deliver real value to aspiring CPC professionals, ensuring long-term success.
I designed MedStudy’s feature set to address the gaps in existing study resources, providing an affordable, structured, and interactive way to prepare for the CPC exam. The app currently includes customizable flashcards, study sessions, progress tracking, and mock exams to help users stay engaged and on track. Future plans include AI-powered adaptive learning, expert-led video lessons, peer study groups, and a certification readiness mode with full-length timed tests. By continuously evolving, MedStudy aims to be the most effective and accessible tool for aspiring medical coders.
These two task flows helped me map out the user journey for adding a new flashcard to an existing deck and creating a new study session. By breaking down each step, I could ensure a seamless and intuitive experience. Through user testing and feedback, I gained valuable insights into user behavior and pain points, allowing me to refine these flows for effortless navigation and a smoother study experience.
Creating wireframes for a web based application was definitely a different pool to swim in and learn. This allowed me to understand web design a lot more and point out key differences of what can and will affect users compared to mobile based design. In most instances, i felt I had more room to play with, but of course still encountered skill based limits. Just more reasons for me to practice more.
The vision for MedStudy is coming to life! These high-fidelity wireframes capture the app’s look and feel, transforming ideas into a tangible experience. But the real test lies ahead—refinement through user feedback to ensure every detail enhances the study journey.
The goal of this usability test is to evaluate how easily users can create a new flashcard within an existing deck and set up a new study session. By observing their interactions, I aim to identify any pain points and refine the experience for a smoother, more intuitive workflow.
This study follows a moderated testing approach, conducted either in-person or via video conference. I have secured two confirmed participants, with a third as a potential backup. Each participant brings varied levels of technical proficiency and diverse backgrounds in studying methodologies. To ensure accurate insights, all sessions will be recorded for further analysis and refinement.
The initial tests provided valuable insights and actionable feedback, highlighting areas for improvement in task flow and usability. Participants found the core tasks intuitive and easy to complete, but their feedback helped fine-tune design elements for a more seamless user experience. Overall, these tests played a crucial role in optimizing MedStudy’s functionality and ensuring a user-friendly study process.
The branding for MedStudy is designed to evoke clarity, focus, and trust, creating an environment that enhances learning without distractions. The clean, modern aesthetic uses a light color palette with calming blues and energizing yellows, reinforcing both focus and motivation. Typography is clear and professional, ensuring readability, while UI elements are intuitive and approachable, making studying feel seamless. MedStudy’s visual identity is built to be welcoming, efficient, and empowering, reflecting its mission to make medical coding education more accessible and effective.
This capstone project, MedStudy, was an end-to-end exploration of how to research, design, and build a functional app from the ground up. Through user research, testing, and data analysis, I developed a strong foundation for an intuitive and affordable study tool that helps aspiring CPC professionals prepare for their certification without the high cost of traditional methods. Inspired by structured learning platforms like DesignLab, MedStudy was built to make medical coding education more accessible and effective.
By refining usability and expanding features, MedStudy has the potential to become the go-to resource for medical coding certification prep, making high-quality education more accessible to all.
If you are interested in the prototype, please click here to give it a test run!
