The Ultimate Day-of-Exam Checklist for PEBC Part I & Part II Test Takers

What does the exam day look like for the PEBC Qualifying Exam, Part I and Part II?

The PEBC Qualifying Exam Part I is a 4.5-hour computer exam. Part II is a 6.5-hour hands-on exam with 11 stations.

Here is how the two days compare.

Official source note: This table is based on the PEBC Part I (MCQ) and Part II (OSCE) pages on pebc.ca. Always check your own exam confirmation for your exact time and place.

For Part II, PEBC places candidates in either the morning or the afternoon session, and start times change by time zone. The schedule inside the day is the same everywhere. It runs roughly like this:

• 30 to 60 minutes for admission and registration
• 60 minutes for the timing signal demo, a washroom break and waiting time
• 90 minutes for the first half of the exam
• 20 minutes for the mid-session break
• 90 minutes for the second half of the exam
• 30 to 90 minutes for sign out and sequestering

What ID do I need on PEBC exam day?

Qualifying exam Part I need one government-issued photo ID. Qualifying exam Part II needs that ID plus your printed PEBC admission card.

For Part I, PEBC accepts a Canadian or foreign passport, a Canadian driver's license, a Canadian health card, or a Canadian Permanent Resident card. Exam staff will check it. You will not be admitted if you do not show ID, or if the ID does not look like you today. The names on your ID must also reasonably match. During the exam, keep your ID on your desk.

For Part II, you must bring both of these:

• Your PEBC Admission Card. PEBC emails it about 3 weeks before the exam. Print it on white paper. Electronic copies are not accepted.
• One original, valid government-issued photo ID: a Canadian or international passport, a Canadian provincial driver's license, a Canadian provincial photo health card, or a Canadian Permanent Resident card.

Both must look like you today, and the names on both must reasonably correspond. At registration, you exchange your admission card for your PEBC identification badge.

What should I bring to the PEBC Part I (MCQ) exam?

Your photo ID, and very little else.

• Your government-issued photo ID
• Clothes you can adjust. Test centre rooms can get too warm or too cold, and PEBC advises you to dress for changing temperatures.
• Any medication or medical device you must use during the exam, such as an insulin pump or blood glucose monitor. You must show it at check-in before the exam starts, with all packaging and inserts removed.
• Items approved in advance for medical, assistive or mobility needs. PEBC points to the Prometric pre-approved items list for this.

You do not need to bring a calculator or formula sheet. The exam is closed-book, and the only aids allowed are the on-screen calculator and the formula sheet provided. At a test centre, you also get a dry erase board and markers for notes. You hand them back at the end.

If you take Part I with remote proctoring, you may bring your own dry erase board and markers, and you must erase it at the end. Read PEBC's remote proctoring candidate information carefully for the full rules.

What is not allowed in PEBC Part I (MCQ)?

Anything that could help you cheat or distract others, plus most personal items.

• Watches or any timepiece. The computer screen shows your time left.
• Other personal items at a test centre. They must go in the locker from Prometric. Lockers are small, so bring as little as you can. PEBC and Prometric are not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.
• Perfume, scented cosmetics or scented clothing. You may be refused entry.
• Smoking on exam premises.
• Talking, reading aloud or communicating with other candidates in any way. If you break this rule, you forfeit the exam. You get no result, and it counts as an attempt.

What should I bring to the PEBC Part II (OSCE) Exam?

Short answer: Your printed Admission Card, your photo ID, a plain lab coat or scrubs, and as few other items as possible.

Your must-bring list:

• Printed PEBC Admission Card (white paper)
• Original, valid government-issued photo ID
• A plain lab coat, dispensing jacket, uniform or scrubs. Remove or cover any logos or names (school, employer, your name) with opaque tape such as duct tape.
• Layers, because room temperature can change from station to station
• Water in a clear plastic bottle with all labels removed (optional)
• Snacks in a separate Ziploc bag (optional)
• Any approved items, with your PEBC approval letter

Know where you must be and when. Go to the location and time on your Admission Card. Do not try to enter early, even to use the washroom. Family and friends are not allowed inside the exam centre.

PEBC sorts personal items into three groups. Here is how they work.

A few more tips from PEBC:

• Remove all packaging, boxes, wrappers, labels and inserts from items before you show them, unless a medication needs them.
• Show your items to exam staff at registration for inspection.
• Large medical devices can be carried without a bag.
• Do not bring suitcases or large bags. Exam centres cannot store them.
• Phones, bags, purses and large wallets are items you should not bring.
• You are strongly advised not to wear jewellery. Staff can inspect it, ask you to remove it, or refuse it. Jewellery also slows down metal detector screening.
• No perfume or scented products, and no smoking or vaping.
• Staff may check your pockets, ask you to remove outerwear, or ask you to roll up sleeves and pant legs. You may also be scanned with a metal detector.

What does PEBC give me at Qualifying exam Part II (OSCE)?

Everything you need to write and identify yourself.

At registration, you receive:

• Two pencils and one eraser. Use only the provided eraser to change answers on answer sheets, because the eraser on the pencil may not erase marks fully.
• Your PEBC Identification Badge and badge holder. Sign your name on it, attach one barcode label, and wear it with the photo facing out. The badge color matches your exam track.
• The Candidate's Agreement. Read it, sign it and hand in one copy. If you have questions about it, contact PEBC before exam day.
• A Candidate Notebook with a sheet of barcode labels. Check that the barcode number matches the number on your badge, then sign the notebook cover.

Keep the notebook whole until the end, with all barcode labels, even the unused ones. You must return it intact. Do not take it into the washroom.

How do the PEBC Qualifying Exam Part II (OSCE) stations work?

11 stations, 7 minutes each, with 9 interactive and 2 non-interactive.

• Before each station, you get 2 minutes to move and read the candidate's instructions posted outside the door. The same instructions are inside, so you do not need to copy them.
• When you hear the start signal, go in right away. Close the door in interactive stations. Keep it open in non-interactive stations.
• A warning signal tells you when 2 minutes are left.
• You must stay for the full 7 minutes, even if you finish early.
• When the stop signal sounds, stop immediately and move on.

Interactive stations: You speak with a simulated participant, who may play a patient, a caregiver, or a health professional. An assessor watches and scores you. Do not talk to the assessor. Take questions to exam staff instead.

• Peel off one barcode label before you enter, and give it to the assessor. If a sign says "Give 2 barcode labels in this station," peel off two. Some stations are video recorded.
• The simulated participant usually enters about 20 seconds after you, so use that time to review the materials.
• Do not shake hands with simulated participants or assessors.
• Once the simulated participant leaves and closes the door, you cannot call them back.
• If you must recommend a self-treatment product, choose only from the products in the station.
• Ignore expiry dates on station medication materials.

Non-interactive stations: You work alone on written tasks, such as finding errors on prescriptions or answering drug information requests.

• Take one answer sheet from the red folder marked "For Candidates Only" and attach a barcode label.
• Blacken bubbles fully. Ticks, crosses, dashes and small dots may not earn points. If you change an answer, erase the old one completely.
• Write clearly.
• When the stop signal sounds, put your answer sheet face down and stop writing or erasing.

For all stations: Do not write on, mark or take away station materials or references. Never remove papers from folders marked "For Staff Only."

What are the water, snack, and washroom rules in Part II?

Water in rest stations and at the mid-session break, snacks only at the mid-session break, and washroom visits only with staff.

• PEBC does not provide water or snacks, except in a medical emergency. Eat well before you arrive.
• Water must be in a clear plastic bottle with no labels. Snacks must be out of their packaging, ready to eat, and not messy. No peanuts or nuts of any kind. PEBC cannot guarantee a nut-free room.
• You may drink water during rest stations and at the mid-session break. You may have snacks at the mid-session break. Eating or drinking while completing a station is strictly not allowed.
• You must carry your own water and snacks. Staff will not hold them for you.
• Washroom breaks: raise your hand during a rest station. Staff will go with you, and they take your notebook and pencils before you enter. After your break, they check your identity and return your materials. Make sure you get your own notebook back.
• During the mid-session break, the washroom is for assessors and Simulated Participants. You may use it only in an emergency.

Which rules can get me removed from the exam?

Breaking a rule can lead to a warning, and serious breaches can end your exam.

For Part II, PEBC gives a warning and informs the board if you break a rule. A second breach may lead to removal. Using false ID, having an electronic device, or sharing exam content can lead to removal the first time. If you are removed, your results may be cancelled and the exam counts as an attempt.

Other rules to remember:

• No talking to other candidates, in any language or by gestures. Do not even speak aloud to yourself in reading areas, rest stations or non-interactive stations.
• Do not communicate with anyone outside the centre while in the secure area. Emergency messages go through the emergency contact in your Location Information document.
• Be professional and polite at all times.
• Follow the timing signals and staff instructions exactly.

Quick checklist: night before and morning of the PEBC Exam

Night before

• Read your PEBC candidate information and rules of conduct again
• Watch the Prometric "What to Expect on Test Day" video (Part I) or the Candidate Orientation Video (Part II)
• Check your exam time, location and travel plan
• Lay out your ID (and printed Admission Card for Part II)
• Prepare your lab coat or scrubs with logos and names removed or taped (Part II)
• Pack water and a nut-free snack in clear bags (Part II)
• Do not use perfume or scented products

Morning of the exam

• Eat a good meal
• Dress in layers, without jewelry
• Carry only what you need
• Part I: reach the test center 30 minutes early
• Part II: Go to your Admission Card location at the given time. Do not arrive early to enter, and know that more than 30 minutes late may mean you cannot enter
• Leave your phone and bags at home if you can

Conclusion

Exam day goes more smoothly when the small things are already sorted. For both parts, the basics are the same: carry the right ID, arrive on time, travel light, and follow staff instructions from start to finish.

For the PEBC Qualifying Exam Part I (MCQ), that means your photo ID, a calm check-in, and 4.5 hours of focus on the screen. For the PEBC Qualifying Exam Part II (OSCE), it means your printed Admission Card, a plain lab coat with no logos, and a clear head for 11 stations of 7 minutes each. The rules can seem strict, but they exist so every candidate is treated fairly.

Do one last check the night before. Read your PEBC emails again, lay out your ID, and pack only what you need. After that, trust your preparation. You have put in the work, and exam day is simply your chance to show it.

If you are preparing for PEBC and want guidance on your next steps, the Elite Expertise team is here to support you. Rules can change, so always confirm the latest details on the official PEBC website before your exam.