MICGP CKT exam-day guide
MICGP CKT · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the exact form of identification named in your admission notice. Name, spelling, and photo must match your registration. If your ID is expired, damaged, or shows a different name form, confirm with the provider before test day whether it will be accepted.
Admission or scheduling confirmation
Print or download the confirmation email showing your candidate number, test centre, and start time. Some centres ask to see it at reception; keep it accessible offline in case the venue has poor connectivity.
Know your exact reporting time and arrival buffer
Arrive earlier than the stated reporting time, allowing for transport delays and security checks. The precise cut-off after which a candidate may be refused entry is set by the provider, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming a grace period.
Check permitted and prohibited items for your centre
Ask the provider in advance about phones, smart watches, bags, and notes. Most secure testing environments require these to be stored away from the desk; do not assume lockers are available.
Confirm whether any materials are supplied or allowed
Find out whether scratch paper, a pen, or a calculator is provided, and whether you may bring your own. Do not bring stationery or aids that have not been explicitly approved.
Plan your route and a backup
Rehearse the journey at the same time of day, note the building entrance (large hospital or conference venues often have multiple entrances), and identify a fallback transport option.
Prepare for comfort during a long sitting
Wear layered clothing for variable room temperature, bring water if the centre permits it, and plan a light meal beforehand. Avoid heavy or unfamiliar food that could unsettle you mid-test.
Know the break policy before you sit
Ask the provider whether breaks are scheduled, timed, and whether the clock stops. Your strategy for using breaks depends entirely on this, so clarify it in advance.
Review your personal high-yield summary only
In the final day, revise short summaries, checklists, and topics you have repeatedly missed. Do not start new material or attempt full-length practice papers the night before.
Protect sleep in the last two nights
Shift your sleep schedule so you are alert at the test start time. Two nights of good sleep before the exam matter more than last-minute revision.
Prepare a simple post-test plan
Arrange your journey home and avoid scheduling demanding commitments immediately after the test. Know how and when results will be released by checking the provider's published process.
Plan the day
Switch from learning to consolidating. Work through your own error log and one-page summaries of weak topics, and stop adding new resources. Confirm your test centre address, reporting time, and ID requirements, and resolve any uncertainty with the provider now rather than on the day. Do one timed section under exam conditions to recalibrate your pacing, then stop full mocks.
Pack your ID, confirmation, and any approved items in one bag. Recheck the journey and set two alarms. Spend no more than a couple of hours on light revision of high-yield lists, then stop. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol and late caffeine, and go to bed at a time that gives you a full night's sleep.
Eat a proper breakfast and hydrate modestly. Leave with generous spare time and arrive early. Keep conversation with other candidates light; last-minute group quizzing tends to raise anxiety. At the desk, check that your workstation and any supplied materials are as expected before the clock starts, and raise any problem immediately.
Read each question stem fully before the options, answer clear questions first, and flag uncertain ones for review. Answer every question even when unsure, unless the format penalises wrong answers, which you should confirm with the provider beforehand. Watch the clock at planned checkpoints rather than continuously. If you feel panicking, pause, breathe, and restart with an easier item. Use scheduled breaks as intended, and confirm the time remaining before the final section.
Note which topics felt weak while memory is fresh, in case you need to resit, and then stop analysing. Check the provider's published timeline for results and next steps rather than relying on hearsay.
Rules to check
Bring only the identification specified in your admission notice; the name must match your registration exactly, and you should confirm with the provider in advance if there is any discrepancy.
Do not bring phones, smart watches, or notes into the testing room unless the provider explicitly permits them; if in doubt, leave them at home or ask before the day.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and proctors, including desk clearance and any security screening; refusal to comply can lead to removal, so confirm any unusual need with the provider beforehand.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the test, and do not share or discuss specific question content afterwards in a way that breaches the provider's confidentiality terms.
Confirm the break policy with the provider before test day, including whether breaks are timed and whether the clock stops, and plan your pacing accordingly.
Confirm the scoring and pass rules with the provider, including whether unanswered or incorrect answers are penalised, and whether results are reported as a scaled score or pass/fail.
If you are unwell or cannot attend, contact the provider as early as possible to ask about rescheduling or extenuating circumstances; do not assume a policy exists without confirming it.
Keep to the published reporting time; late arrival may result in refused entry, and the exact cut-off is set by the provider, so confirm it rather than assuming a grace period.