ER Board exam-day guide
ER Board · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
needs_review - Bring the original, unexpired ID in the name used at registration. Confirm accepted ID types and whether a secondary ID is required with the provider.
Appointment confirmation or scheduling permit
needs_review - Bring a printed or saved confirmation if allowed. Confirm whether the test center accepts a digital copy or requires paper.
Test-center address, arrival time, and route
Verify the exact location, recommended arrival time, parking or transit options, and security screening steps. Do a dry run if the center is unfamiliar.
Candidate agreement or confidentiality form
needs_review - Read the exam-day conduct and confidentiality agreement in advance. Confirm whether it is signed during check-in or beforehand.
Comfortable clothing in layers
needs_review - Dress for variable room temperature. Confirm whether the provider restricts clothing with pockets, hoods, or logos before choosing what to wear.
Approved comfort items
needs_review - If you need earplugs, tissues, or water, confirm whether they are permitted and whether the center supplies them. Do not assume they are allowed.
Personal medication or medical necessity items
needs_review - Follow the provider’s policy for bringing medication or medical devices. Request any accommodation well before exam day.
Snack and water for breaks
needs_review - Pack food or drink only if the provider permits it and identifies a storage location. Confirm break access and timing.
Plan for prohibited items
needs_review - Leave phones, smartwatches, notes, and study materials at home or in secure storage. Confirm what must be stored and where.
Backup transportation and provider contact number
Plan a backup route and save the test center or provider contact number in case of delay, cancellation, or check-in questions.
Sleep, meal, and hydration plan
Protect sleep in the final week, eat a normal meal before arrival, and avoid unusual caffeine or supplement use on test day.
Familiarity with the test interface
Use any official tutorial or demo to learn navigation, flagging, calculator, and break tools. Confirm which tools are provided during the exam.
Plan the day
Confirm appointment details, ID rules, arrival time, prohibited-item policy, break policy, and any accommodation questions directly with the provider.
Do high-yield review only; stop learning new material. Practice pacing with official-format questions if available.
Shift sleep toward the test-day wake time and pack your bag with ID, confirmation, layers, and approved items.
Recheck test-center logistics and weather. Decide how you will store prohibited items rather than carrying them inside.
Do light review of summaries or notes, prepare clothes and meals, avoid alcohol and late caffeine, and aim for normal sleep.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate modestly, arrive earlier than required, and allow time for check-in and security.
Bring only approved items, store prohibited items as directed, use the restroom before entering, and follow proctor instructions.
Read the tutorial and instructions, note break rules and timing, set a steady pace, and flag uncertain items for review if the interface allows.
Take permitted breaks, stand and reset briefly, and avoid discussing exam content with others.
If a technical issue occurs, raise your hand immediately, do not attempt repairs, note the time, and follow proctor directions.
Rules to check
Bring the exact ID required by the provider and confirm acceptable forms and name matching before exam day; if unsure, contact the provider.
Do not bring prohibited items into the testing room. Storage availability varies, so confirm the policy rather than assuming.
Follow the confidentiality agreement: do not discuss, copy, photograph, or share exam content.
Know the break policy before test day, including whether breaks are scheduled or unscheduled, whether the clock stops, and what you may access; confirm with the provider.
Answer according to the exam’s scoring rules. If there is no penalty for incorrect answers, do not leave questions blank, but confirm the scoring policy first.
Follow all proctor instructions and test-center rules; misconduct can lead to score invalidation.
If technology fails, stop and notify the proctor immediately; do not troubleshoot alone or continue without guidance.
Request accommodations well before exam day and do not assume they will be granted on-site.