ABOMR exam-day guide
ABOMR · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID in the name used on your registration. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a secondary ID is required.
Admission authorization or scheduling confirmation
Print or save the confirmation the provider sends after you schedule. It typically contains your test date, time, and location or remote-proctoring link.
Know your exact reporting time and arrival buffer
Arrive earlier than your appointment time; the amount of required buffer varies. Confirm with the provider how early to arrive and what happens if you are late.
Review the provider's candidate handbook or test-day instructions
The authoritative source for permitted items, check-in steps, and security procedures. Read it in the final week rather than relying on secondhand advice.
Practice with the official tutorial or sample interface
If the provider offers a free interface tutorial, run through it so navigation, item review, and flagging tools are familiar before test day.
Plan your route and backup transportation
For in-person testing, know the building, parking, and a backup plan. For remote testing, confirm your room, internet, and power setup.
Remote-testing environment check (if applicable)
If testing remotely, verify webcam, microphone, internet stability, and a clear, private workspace meeting the provider's requirements. Confirm allowed equipment with the provider.
Confirm what personal items are prohibited or must be stored
Phones, watches, notes, and bags are commonly restricted. Confirm with the provider where these go and whether lockers are available.
Confirm break policy and timing in advance
Number and length of breaks, and whether the clock stops, vary by exam. Confirm with the provider so you can plan hydration and medication.
Know the score-report and retake basics
Understand when and how results are released and any retake waiting period. Confirm with the provider; do not rely on forums.
Rest, meals, and medication plan
Protect sleep in the final nights, eat a normal breakfast, and follow your usual medication routine. Ask the provider in advance about any accommodations you need.
A simple, repeatable test-taking plan
Decide in advance how you will pace yourself, flag uncertain items, and use remaining time for review.
Plan the day
Reread the provider's test-day instructions and your confirmation. Reconfirm date, time, location or remote link, and ID requirements. Do light review of weak areas only; avoid cramming new material.
Run any official interface tutorial once more, and finalize logistics: route, parking, childcare, or remote-room setup and a backup internet option.
Prepare and lay out everything you will bring, and confirm prohibited items so nothing gets you turned away at check-in.
Stop heavy studying. Do a short, calm review of high-yield frameworks, then set out clothes, ID, confirmation, and any permitted comfort items.
Confirm reporting time and set two alarms. Eat normally, limit caffeine late in the day, and aim for a full night's sleep.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate moderately, and arrive with your ID and confirmation. For remote testing, complete the room and equipment check early.
Read each question fully, answer the straightforward ones first, and flag uncertain items for review. Watch the clock at planned checkpoints and take scheduled breaks as allowed.
Use remaining time to revisit flagged items, but change answers only when you have a clear reason. Confirm you have submitted or exited per the proctor's instructions.
Rules to check
Present valid, unexpired identification matching your registration name; if your ID name differs, resolve it with the provider before test day.
Follow all proctor and security instructions, including any screening, sign-in, and item-storage procedures. Confirm specifics with the provider.
Do not bring or use unauthorized materials or devices in the testing area. Confirm the permitted-items list with the provider in advance.
Stay within the testing room and your allotted time; leave only during authorized breaks. Confirm the break policy with the provider.
Treat exam content as confidential: do not record, reproduce, or discuss specific questions after the test.
If you need accommodations, request and confirm them with the provider well before your appointment; approval is not automatic.
Understand the scoring and retake rules before you sit: how results are reported, when they are released, and any waiting period. Confirm with the provider.
If something goes wrong (technical issue, illness, or a rule you are unsure of), stop and notify the proctor or provider immediately rather than guessing.