What to Expect on Exam Day

Click the links below to view answers for each question.

Where Can I Find Directions to the Test Center?
Where Are the Test Centers Located?
How is a Pearson VUE Test Center Set Up?
What is the Schedule for Exam Day?
When Should I Arrive? / What if I Arrive Late?
What Happens When I Arrive at the Test Center?
What materials do I need to take to the test center on the day of my test?
What Can't I Bring?
How Will the Exam Start?
How Will the Exam End?
What Do I Need to Know About Exam Sessions and Scheduled Breaks?
What About Lodging and Travel?
How Do I Contact ABPh With Questions Regarding Exam Day?

DOWNLOAD PEARSON VUE CHECK-IN RULES AND PROCEDURES

Where Can I Find Directions to the Test Center?
Pearson has more than 200 test locations at which candidates can take your examination. Candidates will receive directions to their chosen testing center in their confirmation letters. Test center locations and direction

s are also available via your Board’s Pearson Web page by clicking on “Locate a Test Center.”

Where Are the Test Centers Located?
For the most up to date center listing, including addresses, please go to the ABPh section of the Pearson VUE website.

How is a Pearson VUE Test Center Set Up?
The Pearson Professional Centers are high-quality, company-owned and operated and are located throughout the United States, U.S. territories and in key markets throughout the world. Pearson Professional Centers all have the same look and feel and have been awarded a patent for their unique security design.

All locations throughout the United States and U.S. territories are located in professional business settings, are ADA-compliant, have ample parking and easy access to major freeways and public transportation.

Testing rooms are monitored during all exams using real-time digital audio and video monitoring equipment. During the admissions process candidates are required to have a photo taken as well as provide a digital signature and fingerprint (biometric capture).

Every Pearson VUE location offers a quiet, professional testing environment, with eight to 25 private workstations. Each center has:

An administrator workstation, waiting room, proctor workstation and testing room
At least two Pearson VUE certified administrators

Note: Test takers other than ABPH candidates may be present at the test centers.

What is the Schedule for Exam Day?
The Board Certification Exam is four hours in length.

Initial Certification Exam Day Schedule
Registration:varies
Tutorial (optional): up to 30 minutes
Instructions and Pledge of Honesty: up to ten minutes
Examination: up to four hours
Total: Approximately five hours

Maintenance of Certification Exam Day Schedule
Registration:varies
Tutorial (optional): up to 30 minutes
Instructions and Pledge of Honesty: up to ten minutes
Examination: up to four hours
Total: Approximately five hours

When Should I Arrive? / What if I Arrive Late?
Your confirmation notice from Pearson VUE will specify an appointment time. Arrive 30 minutes prior to your appointment time. This extra time will give you an opportunity to sign in and to relax prior to beginning your exam.

If you arrive after your appointment time, you may not be admitted to the exam. Make certain that you know the location of the test center, parking facilities and nearby restaurants prior to exam day. If the candidate does not arrive within 30 minutes of the scheduled exam starting time, he or she has technically forfeited his or her assigned seat. If the candidate arrives late, it is at the discretion of the testing center as to whether or not the candidate may still take the exam. The test administrator will make every effort to accommodate a late arriving candidate; however, the administrator must ensure that subsequent candidates are not affected.

Pearson VUE will provide driving directions to the test center, and the ABPh recommends that you review a map to confirm these directions.

What Happens When I Arrive at the Test Center?

You will present your personal identification (see What Identification Will I Need?)
An electronic fingerprint, signature and photograph will be taken. (You cannot take the exam without having your fingerprint, signature and picture taken.)
Personal items are not permitted in the testing room. You will be required to leave your personal belongings outside the testing room, including your cell phone, PDA, watch, wallet, and/or purse (see What Can’t I Bring?). A secure individual storage locker will be provided for these items. Storage space is limited, however, so you should plan accordingly. Pearson VUE assumes no responsibility for candidates' personal belongings.
While the temperature in the exam room should be comfortable, dressing in layers is recommended. Outerwear (jackets, coats, etc.) are not permitted; however, sweaters are permitted.
You will be asked to read a candidate rules document and agree to the security terms of the administration of the exam.
The test administrator will provide erasable note boards that will be replaced as needed during testing. (Note: You also will be able to type and save notes in a pop-up box that accompanies each exam question.)
If you are easily distracted by noise, including keyboard noise, you may request ear plugs and headphones from the test administrator. Your own earplugs, headphones or other personal devices are not permitted in the test center.
The test administrator will give you a short orientation and escort you to a computer workstation in the testing room. If you are left-handed, you may request that the mouse be moved to the left side of the computer monitor and reset to operate as a left-handed mouse.
You may request instructions to adjust the height and contrast of your monitor. You also may request that the monitor be moved from the top of the computer.

What materials do I need to take to the test center on the day of my test?
To sit for an exam, candidates are required to provide two valid, unexpired forms of identification, both with signature and one with a photo.

Candidates must provide both a primary and a secondary form of ID.

The ID with a photo is referred to as the primary ID. Military IDs, state IDs, passports, alien registration cards (green cards, permanent resident visas), and credit cards qualify as primary IDs, as long as they contain both a photo and a signature, and are not expired.

The candidate’s name on the two forms of ID must match the name shown on his or her registration. When registering with the Board, the name that appears on the identification that a candidate plans to provide for admittance into the testing center should be used. If the names differ only slightly due to a spelling or typographical error or due to a difference in the first name (for example, if “Sue” is printed on an ID but “Susan” is used on the schedule), a candidate will be allowed to test. If the names are obviously not the same, the candidate will not be seated for the exam. A candidate must contact their Board regarding any change to his or her last name before coming to take the exam. ALL candidates are required to have two forms of ID as previously noted, regardless of whether they have an admission letter.

Acceptable forms of ID
Primary (picture and signature, not expired) Secondary (signature, not expired)

Driver’s license or passport
School ID or alien registration card (green card, military ID permanent resident visa)
Other government-issued ID
Credit card
Employee ID
Social Security card
Bank ATM card

Photograph waiver
In order to have the photograph requirement waived for religious or other reasons, a candidate MUST have authorization from MRA and their Board.

What Can't I Bring?
Generally speaking, you are not allowed to take anything into the test center to assist you with your exam. To assure exam security, personal items, such as calculators, cellular phones, handheld computers/personal digital assistants (PDAs) or other electronic devices, pagers, watches, wallets, purses, hats, bags, coats, books and notes, are not allowed in the testing room. You must store all personal items in a locker. The locker dimensions are 18" h x 15" w x 16.5" d. Pearson Professional Centers are not responsible for lost, stolen, or misplaced personal items. Therefore, candidates should not bring personal and/or expensive items to the center.

In addition, the following are not permitted:

Watches. The time of day will be displayed on a clock in the testing room, and the time remaining in the exam session will be displayed on your computer screen.
Calipers, nomograms or other interpretive aids.
Study materials, books, notes, scratch paper, etc.
Pens, pencils, highlighters and other writing instruments. The test administrator will provide note boards that will be replaced as needed. Note boards may not be removed from the testing room and must be turned in to the test administrator when you complete each exam session. In addition, you may type and save notes in the "Notes" section available for each exam question. Both the note boards and the "Notes" section are provided for your convenience and are not considered in the evaluation of your exam.
Suitcases, briefcases, backpacks.
Wallets and purses.
Tobacco products.
Food and drinks. You may bring lunch to the test center, but there is no access to refrigeration or lounge facilities. Water fountains are available at most test centers. You may also bring bottled water to store in your secure locker.
Certain medications may be brought to the test center with prior approval of ABPh. You can submit your request to ABPh by using the Contact Us feature.

Friends or relatives who accompany you to the test center will not be permitted to wait inside the test center and cannot contact you while you are taking the exam.

Note: Candidates who fail to adhere to these policies are subject to disciplinary action which could lead to dismissal from the exam, invalidation of the exam, disqualification from future exams, or other sanctions deemed appropriate by ABPH.

How Will the Exam Start?
At the start of the exam, you will see several screens reviewing instructions about taking the exam and about exam security. You will be asked to affirm that you will follow ABPh and Pearson VUE rules.

What Do I Need to Know About Exam Sessions and Scheduled Breaks?

Exam format:
The format for the ABPh Board Certification Exam is approximately 200 multiple-choice questions issued in a four-hour, computer-based exam format. No essay or oral responses are required. For an outline of the percentages allotted to each topic, download the Exam Content Outline.

All questions are presented one at a time on the computer screen. Candidates use the Next and Previous buttons to move between questions. Candidates can leave questions unanswered and return to them later. All exams are timed. Candidates are not timed on individual questions, but are allowed a specified amount of time to complete the exam. During the exam, candidates can mark questions that they want to review later. After finishing the exam, candidates can review the questions they marked, along with any other question in the exam, and can change the answers. The review time is included in the total amount of time allowed for the exam.

No scheduled breaks are provided during the ABPh Board Certification Exam. Candidates can take unscheduled breaks as often as they want, but the exam clock does not stop running during any break.

Assistance during an exam session:
You must remain in your seat during an exam session, unless authorized to leave by a test center administrator.

Raise your hand to notify the administrator if you:

Have a problem with your computer
Need a clean note board
Need to leave the testing room for any reason
Have inadvertently brought any personal belongings into the testing room
Need earplugs or headphones if you are easily distracted by noise, including typing noise
Need assistance for any other reason

Exam administrators will not answer exam-specific questions.

Leaving the testing room during an exam session:
If you need to leave the testing room during the exam session, the clock will continue to count down the time remaining. The test administrator will set your computer to "Unscheduled Break" mode. The screen will display the session time with the clock counting down, and the display screen you are working on will be hidden. You should exit the testing room as quietly as possible. You may not leave the immediate vicinity of the testing room or restrooms while an exam session is in progress.

Returning to the testing room during an exam session:
You must provide an electronic fingerprint each time you enter and exit the testing room. When you return to your workstation, the test administrator will reset your computer so that you may continue the exam.

Five-minute notification:
A message box will appear on your computer screen as a reminder when five minutes remain in a session. If you are still working at the end of the four-hour session, the computer screen will turn gray, a message will state that your time has expired, and no further keyboard and mouse responses will be recorded.

Taking breaks:
There are no scheduled breaks during the exam. To request an unscheduled break, raise your hand to get the test administrator’s attention. The administrator will set your testing workstation to the break mode and restart the exam for you when you return. The exam clock will NOT stop while you are away.

You must leave the testing room for all breaks. When you leave the testing room, you will be fingerprinted, and you will be fingerprinted again before you re-enter the testing room.

Technical or computer problems:
In the event of a computer or other technical problem, the Pearson VUE system will ensure that no testing time is lost and all your answer choices are saved. Raise your hand to notify the proctor if there is a problem. The proctor will follow established procedures to resolve the problem.

How Will the Exam End?
Exams end as soon as one of the following occurs:

The candidate answers the maximum number of available questions and finishes looking at any questions he or she wants to review. Following question review, the candidate confirms that he or she wants to end the test. This can occur before the maximum amount of time allowed for the exam has expired. The system displays an “exam completed” message. The candidate should then signal the administrator.
The candidate uses the maximum amount of time allowed for the exam. The system displays an “exam time expired” message. The candidate should then signal the administrator.
The candidate terminates the exam by leaving before the computer indicates that the exam is over.Exam time: You will have up to four hours to complete the exam. You may take breaks during the exam but the time will continue to run.
After you finish the exam, you may be asked to complete an optional, onscreen evaluation. After completing the evaluation, raise your hand. The test administrator will come to your workstation and ensure your exam has ended properly. You must return the erasable note board and marker to the test administrator. Do not leave these items at your testing workstation. You will be fingerprinted when you leave the testing room.

Please note that you will NOT receive a score report at the end of the exam. You will receive your score report from your Board after completing the exam. Exam data is automatically encrypted and transferred electronically to a secure facility. Pearson Professional Centers do not have access to the exam data.

What About Lodging and Travel?
You are responsible for making your own travel and hotel reservations. Recommendations for overnight accommodations are not available from ABPh or Pearson VUE.

How Do I Contact ABPh With Questions Regarding Exam Day?
Please contact us with questions, concerns, or feedback. We look forward to hearing from you.

Address:
100 Webster Street, Suite 101
Oakland, CA 94607-3724
Phone: 510.834.6500
Fax: 510.832.7300
Email: info@theabph.org
Website: www.AmericanBoardOfPhlebology.org