ABA Neurocritical Care exam-day guide
ABA Neurocritical Care · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID in the name that matches your registration. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a secondary ID is required.
Admission/authorization document
Bring any confirmation email, admission ticket, or scheduling notice the provider issues. Confirm with the provider exactly what must be presented at check-in.
Know your exam appointment details
Record the date, start time, time zone, and address or remote-proctoring link in one place. Verify the reporting time and any recommended arrival buffer with the provider.
Scheduling confirmation of format and duration
Confirm whether the exam is in-person or remotely proctored, the total seat time, and the number of items. Confirm with the provider; do not assume.
Approved calculator or on-screen tool status
Determine whether a calculator is permitted, provided on-screen, or prohibited. Confirm with the provider before bringing any device.
Personal item and electronics policy
Clarify where phones, watches, and bags must be stored and whether lockers are available. Confirm with the provider; policies vary by site.
Break and food/water policy
Confirm whether scheduled or unscheduled breaks exist, whether they count against your time, and whether water or snacks are allowed at your seat. Confirm with the provider.
Comfort and medical essentials
Plan for layers, any necessary personal medication, and eyeglasses if you use them. Confirm with the provider whether medications may be kept at your seat or must be stored.
Scratch materials policy
Confirm whether scratch paper, a marker board, or an on-screen notepad is provided and whether you may bring your own. Confirm with the provider.
Logistics plan for test day
Plan travel time, parking or transit, and a backup route. For remote exams, test your equipment and internet connection ahead of time and confirm the platform requirements with the provider.
Score reporting and retake awareness
Know when and how results are released and whether a retake or appeal process exists. Confirm with the provider; do not rely on hearsay.
Rest and readiness plan
Protect sleep in the days before and avoid last-minute cramming the night prior. This is a judgment item, not a policy.
Plan the day
Re-confirm appointment time, location or remote link, and ID requirements with the provider. Review your personal high-yield summary rather than new material. Do a short timed practice set to calibrate pacing, then stop adding new content.
Resolve logistics: transportation, parking, childcare, and for remote exams the equipment and connection check. Prepare clothing layers and any permitted items in one bag.
Light review only of your own condensed notes and formulas. Pack ID and required documents. Confirm the reporting time once more. Set two alarms. Aim for a normal night's sleep; avoid intensive study after early evening.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate moderately. Arrive with buffer time or log in early per the provider's instructions. Leave phones and unauthorized devices stored as directed. Do a brief calming routine rather than last-minute content review.
Read each stem fully and identify the key discriminator before looking at options. Answer confidently; flag genuinely uncertain items and return to them. Watch the clock at intervals to keep pace. Use breaks as permitted, and if a technical problem occurs, notify the proctor immediately and note the time.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID and authorization documents the provider requires; if you are unsure whether a document is acceptable, confirm with the provider before test day.
Follow all proctor instructions about permitted items, electronics, and scratch materials. When in doubt, ask the proctor rather than assuming.
Know the break policy before you start: confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled or optional and whether they count against your time.
Understand the scoring and reporting rules in advance, including pass standard and result timing. Confirm with the provider; do not rely on secondhand accounts.
If a technical failure or interruption occurs, stop and notify the proctor or support line immediately and document the time and nature of the issue.
Do not discuss, record, or reproduce exam content. Follow the confidentiality agreement you accept at check-in.
If you need an accommodation, arrange it well before test day. Confirm the request process and deadlines with the provider.
If you are ill or unable to test, contact the provider as early as possible to ask about rescheduling. Confirm the provider's policy rather than assuming a grace period.