Iran OMFS Board Exam exam-day guide
Iran OMFS Board Exam · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
National ID card (kart-e melli) plus a second photo ID such as passport
Iranian testing centers normally require the national ID card; carry a second photo ID as backup. Exact accepted documents and any rules on expired IDs must be confirmed with the provider (Sazman-e Sanjesh-e Pezeshki / the administering body) before exam day.
Printed admission card (kart-e vorud be jalsa)
Download and print the admission card as soon as the registration portal releases it; check that your name, photo, exam site, and session time are correct. Report any error to the provider immediately rather than correcting it by hand.
Confirmation of exam site, building, and reporting time
Verify the exact address and gate in the days before the exam; large university campuses often have multiple entrances. If the reporting time is not stated on your card, confirm it with the provider.
Two or three black ballpoint pens and a spare
Answer sheets in Iranian standardized exams are usually completed with a black pen and may be machine-read; bring spares of the same type. Confirm the permitted pen color with the provider if it is not printed on the admission card.
Simple non-programmable watch
Phones are typically collected or banned at the desk, so a plain analog or basic digital watch helps you pace sections. Smartwatches and any device with communication capability should be left at home.
Clear water bottle and a light snack for the break
Only bring items you can carry into the hall without dispute; leave bags, notes, and study material with a companion or at home. Food and drink rules vary by site, so confirm with the provider.
Leave phone, smartwatch, and study notes at home or with a companion
Possession of a phone during the session is commonly treated as a serious violation regardless of whether it was used. Do not rely on being allowed to hand it in at the door.
Plan the route and travel time to the site
Do a trial run or check traffic patterns for the exam morning; Tehran and other large cities can add substantial delays. Aim to arrive well before the reporting time, not exactly at it.
Review high-yield material only, from your own condensed notes
In the final days, use one-page summaries of oral and maxillofacial surgery, pathology, and basic sciences rather than opening new textbooks. Do not bring loose notes into the hall.
Sleep and meal routine fixed for the last two nights
Shift your sleep schedule so you are alert for the actual session time, which may be morning or afternoon. Avoid starting new caffeine or stimulant habits on exam day.
Know the question format and scoring rule before you sit
Understand in advance whether wrong answers carry a penalty (negative marking) and how many options each item has, because this changes your guessing strategy. If this is not stated in the official guide, confirm with the provider.
Emergency contact and backup transport plan
Save the exam site phone number and a local contact; arrange a backup way to reach the site if your primary transport fails.
Plan the day
Stop introducing new material. Work through your own condensed summaries of high-yield oral and maxillofacial surgery topics (trauma and fixation, odontogenic infection and fascial spaces, cysts and tumors, TMJ, orthognathic planning, implant and pre-prosthetic surgery), plus the basic sciences most represented in the blueprint. Do timed practice blocks under exam conditions to rehearse pacing, then review only your errors.
Verify logistics in one sitting: print the admission card, confirm the site address and reporting time, check your ID documents are valid, and plan the route and departure time. Resolve any discrepancy with the provider now, not on exam morning.
Set your sleep schedule to match the session time. If the exam is in the morning, move bedtime earlier across these three nights rather than trying to compensate the night before.
Do a light review of formulas, classifications, and lists you tend to forget, then stop by early evening. Pack the bag: IDs, admission card, pens, watch, water, snack, and site directions. Lay out clothes.
Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy caffeine after midday, and go to bed at your target time. Do not attempt an all-night review; recall and reasoning degrade more than the extra reading helps.
Eat a normal breakfast, take your usual medication if any, and leave earlier than your calculated travel time. Recheck that IDs, admission card, and pens are in the bag before locking the door.
Arrive at the site with buffer time, locate the hall and your seat, and use the waiting period for calm review of one summary sheet only, not new topics. Follow staff instructions on phones and personal items.
Read the instructions on the answer sheet first: confirm the item count, the marking method, and whether unanswered items are penalized. Fill in identifying fields exactly as on your admission card.
Work in passes. First pass: answer items you know quickly and mark uncertain ones. Second pass: return to marked items with remaining time. Reserve the final minutes to transfer or verify answers and confirm no item is misaligned with its number.
Apply your pre-decided guessing rule consistently. If negative marking applies, answer only when you can eliminate at least one option; if it does not, leave nothing blank. Watch the clock at fixed checkpoints rather than continuously.
Rules to check
Bring the identification documents the provider specifies, typically the national ID card, and present them on request. Rules on expired documents, name mismatches, and accepted alternatives must be confirmed with the provider in advance.
Electronic devices, including phones and smartwatches, are generally prohibited in the hall. Assume possession itself is a violation and leave them outside rather than expecting to hand them in.
Follow all invigilator instructions on seating, answer-sheet completion, and signaling. Do not communicate with other candidates during the session, and do not look at others' papers.
Only use permitted stationery and materials; unauthorized notes, books, or devices are typically grounds for disqualification. Confirm the permitted pen color and any allowed aids with the provider.
Break policy, including whether breaks are allowed, how many, and whether you may leave the hall, varies by site and is announced on the day. Ask the invigilator rather than assuming, and confirm in advance with the provider if you have a medical need.
Scoring rules, including any negative marking for wrong answers and the pass threshold, should be taken from the official exam guide. If the guide is unclear, confirm with the provider before exam day and set your guessing strategy accordingly.
If you believe there is an error in an item or a disruption during the session, note it and raise it with the invigilator at the time; formal objections usually follow the provider's published complaint procedure and deadline.
Any special accommodation must be requested and approved before exam day through the provider's process; do not expect to arrange it at the desk.