PHECC Paramedic exam-day guide
PHECC Paramedic · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Photo ID
Bring a current, valid photographic ID (passport or driving licence). Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether it must match the name on your booking.
Booking/confirmation details
Have your booking reference, candidate number, and the exact time and address of the test centre to hand. Confirm with the provider how these are issued to you.
Provider instructions and candidate handbook
Re-read the official instructions sent by your training provider, including any equipment list, dress code, and station format. Confirm all specifics with the provider.
Uniform and PPE
Wear the uniform or dress standard your provider specifies, and bring any PPE (gloves, and other items) they require. Confirm the exact PPE requirements with the provider.
Clinical equipment
Bring any equipment the provider instructs candidates to supply; otherwise use only equipment provided at the centre. Confirm with the provider what, if anything, you must bring.
Watch with a seconds display
A plain watch helps with timings and observations. Confirm with the provider whether watches are permitted in the assessment area.
Travel plan and backup route
Plan to arrive with margin before your slot and identify a backup route or transport option. Confirm the required arrival time with the provider.
Refreshments and any required medication
Bring water and a snack for breaks, and any personal medication you may need. Confirm break arrangements with the provider.
Leave valuables at home
Bring only what you need; secure storage may not be available. Confirm with the provider what can be brought into the waiting area.
Rest and readiness plan
Protect sleep in the days before and avoid last-minute cramming of new material. Review your own structured notes only.
Confirm final logistics with the provider
needs_review: Venue access, parking, registration desk location, and any candidate briefing time are provider-specific. Confirm directly with your training provider.
Confirm assessment format with the provider
needs_review: The number, order, and content of practical stations and the pass standard are set by the provider. Confirm the current format with them rather than relying on second-hand accounts.
Plan the day
Re-read the provider's candidate instructions and equipment list; confirm venue, arrival time, and ID requirements with the provider. Do a final structured review of your own notes on core skills and safety checks, then stop adding new material.
Practise your routine aloud for the skills you will be assessed on (scene safety, primary survey, hand hygiene, communication, handover) so the sequence is automatic. Confirm with the provider which skills are in scope.
Check travel arrangements, fuel or tickets, and a backup route. Set out uniform, ID, and any permitted equipment. Protect a full night's sleep.
Light review only: key safety principles, normal vital-sign ranges, and your structured handover format. Avoid intensive study. Eat well, hydrate, and go to bed at a normal time. Re-confirm your start time with the provider if you have any doubt.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive with margin, and re-check you have your ID and booking details. Keep conversation with other candidates calm and avoid comparing answers or techniques.
Follow the provider's registration and briefing process exactly. Ask the assessor or steward any procedural questions before your station begins, not during it.
Read or listen to each station's instructions fully, state your actions clearly, verbalise safety checks, and work systematically. Manage your time per station as directed by the assessor. Stay calm if you make an error; correct it and continue.
Follow the provider's instructions on leaving the assessment area and on when and how results will be communicated. Do not discuss station content with candidates who have not yet been assessed.
Rules to check
Bring valid photographic ID as specified by the provider; you may be refused entry without it. Confirm the accepted forms and name-matching requirement with the provider.
Arrive by the time stated in your joining instructions. Late arrival may mean you are not assessed; confirm the provider's late-arrival policy in advance.
Follow all instructions from assessors and stewards, and treat fellow candidates, staff, and simulated patients with respect and confidentiality.
Do not bring or use unauthorised notes, phones, or recording devices in the assessment area. Confirm with the provider what is permitted and where belongings must be stored.
Maintain patient safety and dignity throughout: verbalise scene safety, infection control, consent, and handover as you would in practice.
Breaks and access to water or facilities are arranged by the provider; ask a steward if you need one rather than leaving the area unannounced.
Scoring and the pass standard are set by the provider and are not negotiable at the test centre; direct any queries to the provider's published process afterwards.
Keep station content confidential. Do not share details with candidates who have not yet been assessed.