ABFM Palliative Care exam-day guide
ABFM Palliative Care · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID with signature
Bring a current, unexpired photo ID whose name matches your ABFM record exactly. If your legal name has changed, update your ABFM profile well before test day rather than trying to resolve a mismatch at the counter. Confirm with the test provider which ID forms are accepted for your exam, including whether a second form of identification is required.
Appointment confirmation and testing-location details
Save the confirmation email or appointment number offline on your phone and as a printed copy. Note the street address, suite, parking entrance, and the phone number for the site. If you are testing remotely, save the proctor connection link and the support phone number in the same place.
[needs_review] Confirm delivery format: in-person test center or remote proctoring
ABFM and its testing vendor periodically change delivery options, so verify your specific appointment format in your scheduling portal. The format changes your entire prep list: remote delivery requires a room scan, a cleared desk, a stable wired-or-strong wireless connection, and a working camera and microphone. Confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Scheduling portal login you can access from your phone
You may need to log in at the site or during a remote session to retrieve your appointment or resolve an identity check. Verify your password the week before, not in the parking lot. If multifactor authentication sends a code to your phone, confirm the phone number on file is current.
Plan for personal items and electronics
Expect most personal belongings, including phones, smartwatches, and study notes, to be stored outside the testing room. Leave jewelry, bulky outerwear, and anything you do not need at home or in the car. Ask the provider in advance where bags and phones are stored and whether a locker is guaranteed.
[needs_review] Confirm permitted test aids and scratch materials
Rules on scratch paper, pens, earplugs, calculators, and water vary by exam and vendor. Do not bring any of these unless the provider confirms they are permitted; arriving with a prohibited item can delay or invalidate your session. Confirm with the provider a few days ahead and again at check-in.
[needs_review] Confirm break policy and whether breaks count against your time
Many computerized exams offer optional breaks that do not stop the clock, so a long break directly reduces your answering time. Ask whether scheduled and unscheduled breaks pause the timer, and plan a hydration and restroom strategy around the answer you get. Confirm with the provider.
Accommodations documentation, if applicable
If you requested extra time or a separate room, confirm the approval is attached to this specific appointment, not just to your account. Bring the approval letter. Accommodation arrangements are typically handled before test day and cannot be added at the counter.
Realistic travel and arrival plan with a buffer
Build in extra time for traffic, parking, security screening, and check-in. Aim to be on site well before your appointment; a late arrival may mean forfeiting your seat and fee. Identify a backup route and check local construction or transit disruptions the night before.
Sleep, food, and medication plan
Protect a normal sleep schedule for the two nights before the exam rather than studying late. Eat a familiar breakfast, bring a light snack for afterward, and take routine medications on schedule. Avoid new caffeine doses on test day if you are not habituated to them.
Light, high-yield review materials only
The final day is for skimming symptom-management tables, goals-of-care communication frameworks, and opioid conversion and equianalgesic principles, not for new content. Pack a one- or two-page summary you can read in the car or waiting area, then put it away.
Post-exam plan for score release and next steps
Note where and when results will be posted and whether your certification cycle or MOC requirements depend on the outcome. Knowing the timeline reduces anxiety and lets you plan any retake window or additional requirements without guessing. Confirm reporting timelines with ABFM.
Plan the day
Print and read the provider's exam-day rules end to end, including the prohibited-items list, ID requirements, and the rescheduling and cancellation policy, so nothing surprises you at check-in. Verify your appointment time, address, and format in the scheduling portal. Do one or two short, timed practice blocks to rehearse pacing rather than to learn new material, then stop adding content. Review only your own condensed summary of high-yield domains: pain and symptom management, communication and goals of care, prognostication, hospice eligibility and benefit structure, ethics and decision-making capacity, and care in the final hours. Shift bedtime earlier each night so the morning-of wake time is not a shock. Confirm any accommodations are attached to this appointment.
Pack your ID, confirmation, and any provider-approved items in one place by the door. Lay out comfortable layers you can adjust to a cold testing room. Do a dry run of the route or, for remote delivery, run the system check, test your camera and microphone, clear your desk, and confirm your backup internet option. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol, and stop studying by early evening. Set two alarms and a backup alarm. Read your one-page summary once in the morning only if it calms you; if it raises anxiety, skip it.
Eat a normal breakfast and take routine medications. Arrive with a buffer or, for remote delivery, log in early and complete the room scan before your start time. Keep your ID in hand for check-in and expect a photo, palm-vein or signature check, and a pockets-out inspection. Store your phone and watch as directed. Use the restroom before you begin. Sit down, take a few slow breaths, and write nothing on scratch materials until the provider confirms they are permitted.
Do a quick first pass at a steady pace; note the number of questions and total time and compute a rough per-question budget. Answer decisively, then flag only genuinely uncertain items and return to them if time allows. Read the final sentence of the stem first to identify the actual question, and watch for qualifiers such as next best step, most appropriate, and initial management. When two options seem right, prefer the one that fits the patient's stated goals and the least invasive effective step. Do not change an answer without a specific reason. Take a brief break if allowed, but remember the clock may keep running, so keep it short.
Rules to check
Bring identification that matches your registration exactly and be ready to show it more than once; confirm the accepted forms and any second-ID requirement with the testing provider before exam day.
Expect phones, smartwatches, notes, and most personal items to be prohibited in the testing room. Do not attempt to use unauthorized materials, communicate with anyone, or photograph or transcribe questions; misconduct can void your score and trigger consequences from the certifying board.
Follow the provider's break rules precisely. Unless you have confirmed that the clock pauses, treat every break as time removed from your answering budget.
Scoring is based on your total performance against a predetermined standard rather than on a curve against other examinees, so a hard block of questions does not mean you are failing. Confirm the current passing standard and score reporting method with ABFM.
Your result and any retake eligibility, attempt limits, and waiting periods are governed by ABFM policy, which can change. Confirm the specifics in your candidate materials rather than relying on what other candidates report.
If equipment fails during a remotely proctored session, stop and contact the testing vendor's support line immediately and document the incident; do not attempt to troubleshoot in ways the proctor has not authorized. Ask what documentation you need to request a remedy.
Do not discuss, reproduce, or share specific exam content afterward in any forum. The content is confidential, and sharing it violates the examinee agreement you accept at check-in.
If you are ill, have a family emergency, or cannot meet the identification requirements, contact the provider before your appointment time to ask about rescheduling options and any associated fees; do not simply fail to appear.