PSB HOAE study guide
PSB HOAE · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Examination (PSB HOAE) is an admissions and aptitude test used by a number of health-care training programs, most commonly practical nursing, dental assisting, medical assisting, and other allied health certificate or diploma tracks. It is not a licensure exam and it does not certify you to practice; it is one input schools use, alongside grades, prerequisites, and interviews, to judge whether an applicant is likely to succeed in a demanding health-science curriculum. The PSB HOAE study guide has 7 sections and about 1,915 words.
01Academic Aptitude - Verbal
The PSB HOAE verbal subtest measures how precisely you handle words and relationships between words. Expect vocabulary in context, synonyms and antonyms, analogies, sentence completion, and verbal classification.
283 words, about 1 min02Academic Aptitude - Nonverbal
The nonverbal subtest assesses pattern recognition and spatial reasoning without relying on vocabulary. Items may show series of figures, classification sets, matrices, rotations, reflections, or completed patterns.
284 words, about 1 min03Reading Comprehension
The reading comprehension subtest uses passages, often with health or science content, to test main idea, explicit detail, inference, vocabulary in context, sequence, and author’s purpose. The answer must be supported by the passage, not by your background knowledge.
274 words, about 1 min04Mathematics
The mathematics subtest covers arithmetic, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios and proportions, measurement conversions, basic algebra, and geometry, often in practical or health-related contexts. Accuracy depends on setting up the problem before calculating.
271 words, about 1 min05Natural Sciences
The natural sciences subtest samples biology, chemistry, physics, and basic anatomy/physiology, with health-related applications. High-yield topics include cell transport, homeostasis, body systems, atoms and bonds, acids and bases, energy, and motion.
263 words, about 1 min06Information Gathering
The information-gathering subtest measures how efficiently you locate and interpret information from reference-like materials: indexes, tables, graphs, schedules, directories, dictionaries, and catalogs. It tests method, not memorized facts.
287 words, about 1 min07Vocational Adjustment
The vocational adjustment subtest assesses work-related judgment, ethics, reliability, teamwork, stress management, and patient-centered behavior. Questions often ask what you should do first or what response is most professional.
253 words, about 1 min