Egyptian Board Critical Care exam-day guide
Egyptian Board Critical Care · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Primary photo ID
Bring the original government-issued photo ID (national ID card or passport) that matches the name on your exam registration exactly. Do not rely on a photocopy or a digital ID on your phone. Confirm with the provider which specific IDs are accepted and whether a second form is required.
Exam admission document / registration confirmation
Print or save offline the confirmation showing your candidate number, exam site, date, and time. Some centres require it at the door. If the provider issues a separate admission card, bring it as instructed; confirm the exact document list with the provider.
Exam permit / eligibility letter
If your training authority or the Egyptian Board issues a permit or eligibility letter for the exam, carry the original. Requirements vary by intake, so confirm with the provider whether this is needed and in what form.
Site logistics confirmed in advance
Re-confirm the venue address, building entrance, arrival time, and reporting window at least 24 hours before. Exam centres sometimes move rooms or buildings; a phone call or official portal check prevents a same-day surprise.
Travel and arrival buffer
Plan to arrive at least 45–60 minutes before the scheduled start, allowing for Cairo traffic, security checks, and document verification. Confirm with the provider whether late arrivals are admitted at all; many centres refuse entry after the start.
Layered clothing and comfort items
Exam halls are often cold from air conditioning. Wear layers you can remove. If you need water, medication, or a snack for a long paper, confirm with the provider whether these are allowed in the hall before the day.
Approved writing materials only
Bring only what the provider permits (typically pens/pencils and an eraser if stationery is not supplied). Leave notes, textbooks, smart watches, and phones outside the hall. Confirm the stationery policy with the provider; do not assume it.
No prohibited electronics
Phones must be switched off and stored as instructed, not kept in a pocket. Smart watches, earbuds, and any wearable device are typically banned. Confirm the provider's policy on storing devices and on medical devices you may need.
Rest, hydration, and medication plan
Sleep adequately for the two nights before, eat a normal breakfast, and take routine medication as prescribed. If you have a chronic condition or need exam accommodations, arrange this with the provider well before the exam date, not on the day.
Content revision plan, not new material
In the final days, review high-yield critical care topics (shock, sepsis, ARDS and mechanical ventilation, acute coronary syndromes, arrhythmias, AKI and electrolytes, airway management, sedation, and ICU scoring) and your own error log. Do not start new textbooks on the last day.
Question-attempt strategy rehearsed
Decide in advance how you will handle long vignettes and single-best-answer items: read the stem, note the key abnormality, predict the answer, then read options. Practise this on timed practice sets so the approach is automatic under pressure.
Backup plan for the unexpected
Save the provider's contact number, know a backup route to the venue, and carry a small amount of cash for transport. If illness or an emergency prevents attendance, contact the provider immediately to ask about documented exceptional-circumstance procedures; do not assume a resit will be granted.
Plan the day
Stop broad revision. Re-read your condensed notes on shock and haemodynamics, sepsis and antibiotics, ARDS and ventilator settings, ACS and arrhythmias, AKI and electrolyte correction, airway and sedation, and ICU scoring systems. Do one timed mixed practice set under exam conditions, then review every wrong answer and write the reason in one line. Confirm venue, reporting time, and required documents with the provider, and prepare the exact ID and paperwork you will carry.
Do a second shorter timed set focused on your weakest two topics. Review normal values and formulas you will need (arterial blood gas interpretation, anion gap, corrected sodium, oxygen delivery and content, ventilator parameters). Prepare clothing, transport, and a light bag. Avoid all-night study; protect sleep from this point onward.
Light review only: high-yield tables and your error log, no new topics. Lay out ID, admission document, pens, layers, water if permitted, and any approved medication. Charge your phone but plan to switch it off at the venue. Check the venue route and set two alarms. Eat a normal dinner and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a normal breakfast and take routine medication. Leave with a generous travel buffer to arrive 45–60 minutes early. At the venue, complete document checks, store prohibited items as instructed, use the restroom before entering the hall, and settle into your seat without last-minute cramming that raises anxiety.
Read the instructions and note the total number of questions and time available; calculate a rough per-question pace. Work in passes: answer clear items first, flag uncertain ones, and return to them. For single-best-answer items, commit to the option that best fits the stem even if imperfect, and avoid changing answers without a clear reason. Watch the clock at the halfway and final-quarter marks. If breaks are allowed, use them to stand, hydrate if permitted, and reset; if you finish early, review flagged items rather than leaving.
Do not attempt to reconstruct every question with colleagues immediately; it increases anxiety without changing the result. Note only broad themes for future learning. Confirm with the provider how and when results are released and what the pass standard and any appeals or re-sit rules are.
Rules to check
Carry the original photo ID that matches your registration name exactly, plus any admission document the provider requires. Confirm the accepted ID types and document list with the provider before the exam; do not assume a digital copy will be accepted.
Arrive within the reporting window stated by the provider. Many centres refuse admission after the exam has started. Confirm the exact late-arrival policy with the provider rather than relying on general assumptions.
Phones, smart watches, earbuds, notes, and textbooks are prohibited in the hall. Switch devices off and store them exactly as instructed. If you need a medical device, clear it with the provider in advance.
Follow all invigilator instructions and maintain exam integrity. Any communication with other candidates, looking at others' papers, or use of unauthorised material can lead to invalidation. The provider's misconduct policy governs; ask for it if unclear.
Break policy, water and food rules, and restroom procedures vary by centre. Confirm them with the provider in advance and follow invigilator directions on the day; do not leave the hall without permission.
Scoring and pass standards are set by the provider. Do not rely on remembered cut-offs or on how many questions you think you answered correctly. Confirm the marking scheme, pass mark, and result timeline with the provider.
If illness or an emergency prevents attendance or affects performance, contact the provider as soon as possible and ask about documented exceptional-circumstance or appeal procedures. Do not assume a resit or score adjustment will be granted.
Use only the stationery and materials the provider permits. If stationery is supplied, do not bring your own unless told otherwise; confirm the policy with the provider before the day.