NCCPA CAQ Geriatrics exam-day guide
NCCPA CAQ Geriatrics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the unexpired ID required for your testing appointment. The exact accepted ID types and name-matching rules are set by the test provider, so confirm with the provider before test day rather than assuming any photo ID will work.
Confirmation notice and appointment details
Have your scheduling confirmation, testing location, and arrival time accessible, ideally printed and saved on your phone. Confirm with the provider whether printed versus digital confirmation is accepted.
Know your test-day logistics
Verify the address, parking or transit options, and expected arrival buffer for the test center. Provider arrival and late-arrival policies vary, so confirm with the provider how early to arrive and what happens if you are late.
Current contact information on file
Make sure the email and phone number on your account are current so you receive any schedule changes or instructions. Confirm with the provider how last-minute updates are communicated.
Approved personal items only
Plan to bring only items the provider permits into the testing room. Rules on phones, watches, wallets, and personal belongings differ by site, so confirm with the provider what to leave at home or in a locker.
Accessibility or accommodation arrangements
If you need extra time, a separate room, or other accommodations, verify that approval is already on file and how it will be applied on test day. Confirm with the provider well before the exam; requests on the day may not be honored.
Study materials for the final days
Bring concise, high-yield review materials only: geriatric syndromes, polypharmacy, falls, delirium and dementia, advance care planning, and functional assessment. Avoid new resources in the last 24 hours.
Rest, hydration, and food plan
Protect sleep in the final 72 hours and plan a normal meal before the exam. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the testing room or only during breaks.
Break and timing plan
Decide in advance how you will use scheduled breaks, including whether you will leave the testing room. Break rules and timing are provider-specific, so confirm with the provider.
Scoring and reporting expectations
Know how results are reported and when to expect them. Do not rely on secondhand timelines; confirm with the provider how and when your score will be released.
Backup plan for travel or technology issues
Have a plan for delays, including a contact number for the test center. Confirm with the provider the correct number and the procedure if you cannot reach the site on time.
A calm pre-exam routine
Choose a short routine you can repeat on test morning, such as a light review of a one-page summary and a few slow breaths. Keep it brief so it does not create new anxiety.
Plan the day
Shift from broad review to consolidation. Revisit your own summary sheets on geriatric syndromes, medication review, falls and fracture risk, delirium versus dementia, capacity and advance care planning, and functional and cognitive screening. Stop studying new topics that you have not previously covered. Confirm your appointment time, location, and ID requirements with the provider, and check that your contact information is current.
Set a consistent sleep schedule and avoid late-night cramming, since fatigue affects reasoning more than one extra hour of review will help. Prepare your bag, plan transportation, and arrange any work or family coverage. If you have approved accommodations, verify how they will be implemented.
Do a light pass only: skim your one-page summaries and the list of question types you tend to miss. Pack your ID, confirmation notice, and permitted items. Confirm the arrival time and route. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine, and go to bed at your usual time. Do not attempt a full practice exam the night before.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate, and arrive with buffer time. Leave unnecessary valuables at home. Do a brief, calm review of a single summary page or nothing at all. Follow the check-in instructions exactly, including any security screening, and ask staff about break procedures if they are unclear.
Read the instructions and confirm the number of questions and time available. Take a short moment to settle, then begin. If the platform offers a tutorial or practice questions, use them to confirm the interface before the scored section.
Answer in a steady rhythm. For geriatrics items, identify the key syndrome or safety issue, consider medication and functional contributors, and choose the most appropriate next step. Flag uncertain items and move on rather than stalling. Watch the clock at natural checkpoints so you do not run short at the end.
Use breaks deliberately to stand, hydrate, and reset rather than to review content, which tends to increase anxiety. Follow the provider's rules about leaving and re-entering the testing room, and note whether the clock runs during breaks.
Reserve enough time to review flagged items if the platform allows it. Read the question stem carefully for words like next, most appropriate, or initial, since these change the correct answer. Confirm that all questions are answered before submitting.
Note any questions you found difficult while they are fresh, but avoid dwelling on specific items. Follow the provider's process for score reporting and keep your confirmation materials until results are received.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID required by the test provider and ensure the name matches your registration. Accepted ID types and name-matching rules vary, so confirm with the provider before test day.
Arrive at the time the provider instructs. Late-arrival and rescheduling policies are provider-specific, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming you will be admitted.
Follow all site security and conduct rules, including rules on personal belongings, phones, watches, and notes. Unauthorized materials in the testing room can lead to dismissal, so confirm with the provider what is permitted.
Use only breaks the provider authorizes and follow instructions about leaving and re-entering the testing room. Confirm with the provider whether the clock runs during breaks and whether food or drink is allowed.
Do not discuss, record, or share specific exam content. Exam content is confidential, and sharing it may violate the provider's candidate agreement.
Understand how the exam is scored and reported before test day. Do not rely on unofficial claims about passing standards or score release timing; confirm with the provider.
If something goes wrong, such as a technology issue or a disruption, notify test center staff immediately and follow their instructions. Ask the provider afterward about the documented process for reporting incidents.