EFOG-EBCOG Part 1 exam-day guide
EFOG-EBCOG Part 1 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission document / confirmation of registration
Bring the registration confirmation or admission letter issued by the exam provider, printed if the provider requires a paper copy. The exact document name and whether an electronic copy is accepted should be confirmed with the provider before exam day.
Valid photo identification
Bring the original government-issued photo ID (passport or national ID card) in the name used at registration. Check with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether a signature is required on the document; do not rely on a photocopy or an expired document.
Approved calculator
EFOG-EBCOG Part 1 is a computer-based examination and calculators are typically embedded in the test platform, so a personal calculator is usually not permitted. Confirm with the provider whether any physical calculator model is allowed and whether it must be inspected at check-in.
Nothing that could be treated as reference material
Do not bring textbooks, notes, flashcards, or annotated material into the test room. Personal items are stored outside the testing area according to the provider's rules; confirm the storage arrangements with the test centre.
Know the test centre location and arrival time
Confirm the exact address, building entrance, and the arrival time stated in your admission documents. Allow extra time for security checks and identity verification, which can take longer than expected at peak times.
Travel and timing plan
Plan the journey so you arrive with a buffer before the reporting time. If travelling from another city, consider arriving the day before; test centres generally cannot admit candidates who arrive after the cut-off, and this cut-off should be confirmed with the provider.
Review the syllabus and question format
Re-read the official syllabus and the sample or demo questions released by the provider so that the format, number of items, and time allocation hold no surprises. Do not spend the final days on new topics; consolidate high-yield areas.
Practise the delivery interface
If the provider publishes a tutorial or demo of the computer-based platform, complete it so you are familiar with navigation, flagging, and the review screen. Confirm with the provider whether a tutorial is available and whether it is timed.
Rest, food, and medication
Protect sleep in the final week, eat a normal breakfast, and bring any prescription medication you need in accordance with the provider's rules. Confirm with the provider how medication and medical devices are handled at check-in.
Clothing and comfort
Wear layers, because test room temperature varies, and avoid items that will set off security screening or need to be removed. Check with the provider whether outerwear, watches, or jewellery must be stored outside the room.
Personal item storage plan
Decide in advance what you will carry and where it will be kept during the test, since phones and bags are not allowed at the workstation. Confirm with the provider whether lockers are provided or whether you should travel with the minimum.
Backup contact and contingency plan
Save the provider's contact details and know what to do if a train is cancelled or you fall ill. If you cannot attend, the procedure for reporting absence and any documentation required should be confirmed with the provider; do not assume a resit is automatic.
Plan the day
Stop expanding your syllabus. Work through a short, fixed list of high-yield topics in obstetrics and gynaecology, review your own error log from practice questions, and re-read the summaries you have already made. Do one timed mixed set only if it will not unsettle you, and review the answers rather than chasing a score. Check that your admission document, ID, and travel arrangements are in order, and confirm the reporting time and address on the provider's instructions. Protect sleep: two full nights before the exam matter more than a late revision session.
Pack your bag with the admission document, photo ID, and anything else the provider permits, and lay out clothing. Confirm the route and the time you must leave, including a buffer for delays. Do a light review of formulas, definitions, and lists you tend to forget, then stop early. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol and heavy caffeine late in the day, and go to bed at your usual time. If you feel unwell, contact the provider promptly rather than waiting until the morning; the illness and absence procedure should be confirmed with the provider in advance.
Eat breakfast, hydrate moderately, and avoid excessive caffeine. Leave with enough margin to arrive before the reporting time. At the centre, follow check-in instructions, present your ID and admission document, store personal items as directed, and use the restroom before the test begins. If the provider offers a tutorial, complete it calmly. Report any problem with your workstation, such as a faulty screen or keyboard, to the invigilator immediately rather than trying to work around it.
Read each question stem fully and identify what is being asked before looking at the options. Answer the straightforward items first and flag difficult ones for review if the platform allows it. Watch the clock against the number of items remaining, and keep a small reserve for the final review. Change an answer only when you can identify a specific reason the first choice was wrong. If a scheduled break is offered, confirm the rules with the invigilator before leaving the room, and remember that the clock may keep running. If you feel unwell or distracted, pause, breathe, and continue; report anything that affects your performance to the invigilator.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID in the name used at registration and the admission document required by the provider. Candidates without acceptable identification may be refused entry, and the accepted ID types should be confirmed with the provider before exam day.
Do not bring notes, textbooks, smart devices, or any unauthorised material into the test room. Phones must be switched off and stored as directed; possession of an unauthorised device at the workstation may be treated as misconduct even if it is not used.
Follow all invigilator instructions on seating, breaks, and leaving the room. Test centres commonly require candidates to remain seated for the scheduled duration, and the exact break policy and whether unscheduled breaks are permitted should be confirmed with the provider.
The examination is scored on correct answers; check whether incorrect answers carry a penalty before you decide whether to guess. The scoring rule and any pass standard should be confirmed with the provider, and you should not assume a penalty applies.
Maintain academic integrity: do not communicate with other candidates, do not attempt to copy or share questions, and do not remove any examination material from the room. Suspected misconduct is usually reported and can lead to invalidation of the result.
If a technical failure or disturbance occurs, raise it with the invigilator at once and ensure it is recorded. Whether lost time is compensated or the attempt is rescheduled is decided under the provider's procedures, which should be confirmed with the provider.
If you cannot attend or become unwell, contact the provider as soon as possible and follow its documented procedure. Absence and resit arrangements are not automatic, and the conditions, deadlines, and any required evidence should be confirmed with the provider.