ABEM ACCM exam-day guide
ABEM ACCM · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID you registered with, and make sure the name matches your registration exactly (including middle name or suffix). Ask ABEM in advance which ID forms it accepts and whether a second form is required; do not assume a photocopy, digital copy, or expired document will be accepted.
Admission or scheduling confirmation
Carry your appointment confirmation, scheduling permit, or authorization-to-test letter if one was issued, plus the confirmation number. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or whether an electronic version on your phone is sufficient, since many centers restrict phone use at check-in.
Testing-vendor account credentials
Know the username and password for the account you used to schedule the exam, and keep them somewhere you can reach without your phone. Confirm with the provider which vendor delivers the exam and what login is required on arrival.
Confirmed test-center logistics
Write down the exact street address, building, floor, suite number, and parking or transit plan. Test centers are often inside shared office buildings with unmarked doors, so identify the entrance in advance and note a backup route in case of transit delays or road closures.
Arrival window
Plan to arrive well ahead of your scheduled start time; 30 minutes early is a common recommendation, but confirm the specific window and late-arrival cutoff with the provider. Candidates who arrive after the cutoff may be refused admission and may forfeit the fee.
Personal-item plan
Assume phones, smartwatches, notes, bags, and outerwear may not enter the testing room, and that storage may be limited or unavailable. Confirm the site's locker or storage policy and leave nonessential valuables at home or in your car.
Layers and comfort items
Wear layers, since testing-room temperature varies and you may be seated for hours. Confirm whether water, snacks, tissues, or personal medical items are permitted at the workstation versus only during breaks; some items require advance approval.
Approved accommodations documentation
If you were granted extra time, a separate room, or other accommodations, bring the approval letter and confirm the logistics with both the board and the test center ahead of time. Accommodations cannot be arranged on the day of the exam.
Exam-format familiarity
Know the number of questions, number of sections, time per section, and question style (single best answer versus other formats) from the official candidate guide. Confirm the current format directly from ABEM materials rather than from memory or peers.
Clock and break strategy
Decide in advance how you will pace yourself, whether breaks are optional or scheduled, and whether the clock stops during breaks. Confirm the break rules for your specific exam, because policies differ between exam types and change over time.
Plan for the unexpected
Save the test center phone number and the board's contact information, arrange a backup ride, and know how you would document a delay. Confirm with the provider in advance what happens if a center closes, a system fails, or you become ill mid-exam.
Plan the day
Re-read the official candidate guide and your scheduling confirmation, and verify the test-center address, arrival time, ID requirements, and item policy. Resolve any unanswered questions with ABEM now rather than on exam day. Do a dry run of the commute if the center is unfamiliar, and confirm parking or transit details.
Shift from new content to consolidation: review high-yield summaries, tables, and your own error log rather than starting unfamiliar material. Simulate exam conditions once, if you have not already, to check your pacing against the real section length and question count.
Protect sleep. Move your sleep and wake times toward what exam day requires, and avoid all-night study sessions; sleep debt is one of the few variables you can still control and it affects performance more than one more review pass.
Lay out your ID, confirmation documents, layers, and any approved items in one place. Charge devices, but plan to be without your phone during the exam. Confirm your alarm and a backup alarm, and check the weather and any transit advisories for the morning.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate, and stop studying by early evening. Do a light review of a short summary sheet only if it reduces anxiety; otherwise close the books. Set out the exact route and departure time, including a buffer for delays.
Eat a normal breakfast you tolerate well, avoid heavy caffeine beyond your usual intake, and take routine medications as prescribed. Leave earlier than your calculation suggests, and bring your ID and confirmation in a place you can reach without opening a bag.
Follow the staff's instructions exactly: present your ID, sign in, store prohibited items, and accept the seat and equipment assigned. Report any equipment problem, broken scratch material, or distraction immediately rather than trying to work around it.
Read the section instructions before the clock starts, then pace to the section length rather than to individual questions. Answer every question, flag uncertain ones, and return only if time permits; do not let one hard item consume the time budgeted for several.
Stand, move, drink water, and eat something small if permitted, and note the time you must return. Avoid comparing answers or reviewing content with other candidates, and avoid phone use beyond what the site explicitly allows.
Note anything you flagged for later review while it is fresh, then stop replaying individual questions. Confirm with the provider when and how results are released and what the process is if you need to appeal a testing irregularity.
Rules to check
Bring the original government-issued photo ID you registered with, with a name that matches your registration exactly. If your legal name has changed, resolve the discrepancy with ABEM before exam day; the test center generally cannot fix it for you.
Arrive within the published check-in window and accept that late arrival may result in refusal of admission or forfeiture of your fee. Confirm the specific cutoff time with the provider, since it is not uniform across exams.
Do not bring unauthorized materials into the testing room. Phones, smartwatches, notes, and study aids are typically prohibited, and possession of prohibited items can lead to score invalidation even if they are not used.
Follow all proctor instructions and all rules on candidate conduct and examination security, including rules about discussing or reproducing exam content. Confirm the current conduct policy in the official candidate guide before test day.
Use only the breaks the exam permits and return when instructed. The clock may or may not stop during breaks depending on the exam; confirm this in advance so your pacing plan is realistic.
Report any irregularity, equipment failure, or distraction to the proctor immediately and ask that it be documented. Concerns raised after you leave the center are much harder to substantiate.
Confirm scoring and reporting logistics through official ABEM channels: how the exam is scored, when results are released, and whether any provisional information is given at the center. Do not rely on unofficial reports of cut scores or pass rates.
If you require accommodations or have a medical condition affecting testing, arrange and confirm it with the provider well before exam day. Day-of requests are generally not accommodated.