Iraqi Board Radiology exam-day guide
Iraqi Board Radiology · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID (passport or Iraqi national ID)
Bring the original document, not a copy. Confirm with the provider which ID types are accepted and whether the name must match your registration exactly; if your documents use different spellings, ask the training directorate in advance how to handle it.
Printed admission letter or exam slip
If one was issued, print two copies and keep one with your belongings. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is mandatory or a digital copy on your phone is accepted, since phone use is usually restricted in exam halls.
Registration and training documents
Carry your primary medical degree, internship completion, and training rotation logbook as directed by the examining body. Bring only what the invitation specifies; extra paperwork is usually kept outside the hall. Confirm the exact list with the provider.
Writing materials
Bring several blue or black ballpoint pens and a pencil with an eraser. Do not rely on the hall supplying stationery. Leave pencil cases that could contain notes outside if instructed.
Simple, silent wristwatch
Many halls have no visible clock or ban smart devices. A basic analogue or non-smart digital watch helps you pace yourself. Confirm with the provider whether any watch is permitted before relying on it.
Know the venue and route
Visit or map the exact building and room the day before. Radiology exams may be held at a university hospital, training centre, or conference venue in Baghdad or another city; confirm the address and gate with the provider rather than assuming.
Arrival time and security buffer
Plan to arrive well before the stated reporting time to allow for ID checks, bag searches, and seating. Ask the provider for the official reporting time and the cutoff after which entry is refused.
Leave phones and smart devices behind or switched off and stored
Smartphones, smartwatches, and earbuds are typically prohibited in the exam room. Plan where you will leave them, since there may be no secure storage. Confirm the provider's device policy in advance.
Personal needs kit
Bring water in a clear container if permitted, a light layer in case the hall is cold, and any prescribed medication. Confirm with the provider whether food, drink, or medication is allowed at your seat and what documentation is needed for medication.
Review image-viewing workflow for the practical stations
If the practical includes case viewing on a workstation or printed films, practise reading a full study systematically within a strict time limit: patient details, modality, projection or sequence, then a structured search pattern. Confirm with the provider whether cases are displayed digitally or as hard copy.
Prepare a structured reporting template in memory
For each case, be ready to state modality, relevant findings, and the most likely diagnosis or differential in a few sentences. Rehearse aloud so you can present concisely when the examiner asks.
Sleep, meals, and travel plan
Arrange transport the night before, avoid a long unfamiliar commute on the morning, and eat a normal breakfast. Do not plan last-minute cramming that costs you sleep.
Plan the day
Confirm the venue, reporting time, and the full list of permitted and prohibited items with the provider. Re-read the exam regulations so no rule surprises you on the day. Print your admission letter if required and assemble your documents in one folder.
Switch from learning new material to consolidating. Review your own summary sheets of high-yield radiology topics: modality choice, classic signs, staging basics, and common emergency findings. Stop adding new references.
Do timed practice: run mock practical stations with a hard clock, and rehearse concise verbal case presentations. Practise saying the diagnosis and reasoning in under a minute per case.
Do a travel dry run to the venue at the same time of day if feasible, noting traffic, parking, and the correct entrance. Identify a backup route and a contact number for the training centre.
Pack your bag: ID, admission letter, pens and pencil, watch, water, medication, and any permitted documents. Lay out clothes. Charge nothing you cannot bring in; leave smart devices out of the bag entirely.
Light review only, focused on your weakest two or three topics and your reporting template. Confirm your alarm and transport arrangements. Sleep at your normal time; avoid late-night cramming.
Eat breakfast, hydrate moderately, and arrive early. Leave phones and smart devices stored or off as instructed. Use the waiting time for calm recall of your structured approach, not for new facts.
Read instructions fully before starting. Allocate time per station or question and stick to it; if a case stalls you, mark it, move on, and return if time allows. In oral or practical stations, state findings systematically before giving a diagnosis, and answer the question asked rather than volunteering long digressions.
If you are unsure of a finding, describe what you see and give a reasoned differential; examiners credit a sound approach. Keep track of remaining time at each quarter of the exam. If you need a break, follow the invigilator's instructions exactly.
Note any questions or logistics issues you want to raise with the provider while they are fresh, and keep your documents together for any subsequent stages such as interviews or results collection.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo ID specified by the provider and keep it visible on your desk. Candidates without acceptable ID may be refused entry, so confirm the accepted forms and name-matching requirements with the provider in advance.
Follow all instructions from invigilators. Do not communicate with other candidates once the exam has started, and do not pass or share materials. Suspected misconduct is usually handled under the provider's regulations, so read them beforehand.
Do not bring smartphones, smartwatches, or other smart devices into the exam room. If you must carry a phone, confirm with the provider whether secure storage exists; otherwise leave it outside.
Breaks are usually limited and taken under supervision, and may not be permitted during timed practical stations. Confirm the provider's break policy and plan hydration and toilet visits around it rather than assuming you can leave at will.
Scoring and pass criteria are set by the examining body and are not always published in detail. Do not rely on rumours about cut scores; ask the provider what information is released about results and appeals.
If you believe there is a problem with a question, station, or equipment, raise it immediately with the invigilator and ask that it be recorded, rather than waiting until after the exam.
Arrive by the stated reporting time. Late entry is commonly restricted once the exam has begun, and extra time is not normally granted for lateness. Confirm the exact cutoff with the provider.