Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) Examination exam-day guide
CHT · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the same ID you used at registration; the name must match your registration exactly. Confirm with the provider which ID forms are accepted (and whether an expired ID or a second form of ID is required) before test day.
Appointment confirmation / authorization to test
Have your appointment confirmation number and any authorization-to-test document with you. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or whether a digital copy on your phone is accepted before you enter the testing room.
Test center logistics
Confirm the test center address, parking or transit options, and the check-in location a few days ahead. Do a dry run of the route if the site is unfamiliar.
Planned arrival time
Plan to arrive well before your scheduled start-at least 30 minutes is a common recommendation. Confirm the provider's late-arrival policy, since arriving after your start time can mean denied entry or reduced testing time.
A plan for personal items
Phones, smartwatches, notes, and bags are not allowed in the testing room. Leave them at home or plan to use whatever storage the center provides; confirm storage availability with the provider.
Comfortable, layered clothing
Test rooms vary in temperature and you will be seated for a long stretch. Dress in layers and choose clothing with no bulky pockets or metal that could slow security screening.
Water and a light snack
Bring water and a snack you can access during any permitted break. Confirm the provider's break and locker-access policy so you know whether you can reach them mid-test.
Eyeglasses or other reading aids
Bring glasses if you use them; the exam is delivered on a computer screen and you will be reading long items and answer options.
Contact details for the test center and provider
Save the test center phone number and the certification body's customer service number in case of a last-minute schedule or site problem.
Confirmed scoring and results process
Know in advance how and when you will receive your score and what the retake policy is. Confirm the provider's specific process-do not rely on what other candidates have told you.
A settled night's sleep plan
Protect the night before: no new content, no late-night cramming, and a realistic bedtime. Fatigue costs more points than one extra hour of review gains.
Plan the day
Reconfirm your appointment date, time, and test center location. Verify your ID matches your registration name. Gather your documents and set them in one place. Do a final pass over your weakest content areas using practice questions, then stop learning brand-new material.
Do one timed practice set to rehearse pacing, then review only the explanations you got wrong. Check your route and travel time, and decide how you will handle personal items and meals on test day.
Light review only-skim your own summary notes for 45–60 minutes maximum. Pack your ID, confirmation, water, snack, and glasses. Set two alarms. Eat a normal dinner and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate, and avoid heavy caffeine if you are prone to jitters. Leave earlier than you think you need to. Arrive at the center with buffer time, complete check-in and ID verification, and use the restroom before you are seated.
Read each item fully, including qualifiers like 'best' and 'except.' Answer the items you know, and flag anything that requires long calculation or that you are unsure of rather than stalling on it.
Check the clock periodically and keep a steady pace so you finish with time to spare. Return to flagged items, and change an answer only when you can point to a specific reason the original was wrong.
Raise your hand and tell the proctor immediately about a frozen screen, a broken mouse, distracting noise, or a timing error. Do not try to work around a technical problem on your own.
Follow the provider's stated process for receiving your score and, if needed, a retake. Note down your results and any next steps before you leave the site.
Rules to check
Bring the government-issued photo ID used at registration, with a name that matches your registration exactly. Confirm acceptable ID forms with the provider in advance; you will not be admitted without valid identification.
Do not bring notes, textbooks, phones, smartwatches, or other electronic devices into the testing room. Store personal items as the center directs or leave them at home.
Exam content is confidential. Do not copy, photograph, record, or discuss specific exam items with anyone; doing so can invalidate your score and your certification.
Use only the scratch materials or on-screen calculator the provider supplies, and ask the proctor before using anything else. Confirm the provider's policy on scratch paper and calculators before test day.
Breaks are taken only as the proctor permits, and the testing clock generally keeps running during unscheduled breaks. Confirm the provider's break policy so you can plan around it.
Report any equipment malfunction, disruption, or timing problem to the proctor immediately rather than continuing through it-this creates the record needed to address it afterward.
Scoring is based on the number of items you answer correctly measured against a pre-set passing standard, not on how other candidates perform. Confirm the exact passing standard, score reporting, and retake policy with the provider.
Arriving after your scheduled start time can result in denied entry or reduced testing time. Confirm the provider's late-arrival policy and plan to arrive early rather than on time.