The day of the exam

The day of the exam

Prior to the exam, registered candidates will receive detailed guidance regarding the exam process and they must have agreed to the exam regulations. Exam Regulations can be found here.

The structure of the day

There will be both a morning and an afternoon sitting of the exam. Please note it is vital candidates are at the venue in good time to sit the exam. Candidates who don’t arrive before the candidate briefing will not be able to sit the exam.

Time Details

10:15 / 12:45	Registration and identity checks
10:30 / 13:30	Candidate briefing and 5 minutes Q&A with the Logistics Lead
11:00 / 14:00	Examination begins
13:00 / 16:00	End of exam. Candidates complete feedback and collect belongings

Candidate registration, ID check and briefing

Candidates will be registered by Faculty staff. Suitable identification documents must be original, current and bear a photograph and are listed below:
• Passport
• UK immigration and Nationality Department identification document
• Home Office travel document
• UK driving licence
• EU identity card
• National identity card (or Hong Kong Identify Card for Hong Kong candidates)

If the name on the identification document is different from that on the confirmation from the Faculty offering a place in the examination, original evidence must be provided in good time that the candidate is the person named in that letter. The Faculty will accept:
• Marriage or Civil Partnership certificate;
• A declaration from the awarding body which granted the primary medical qualification, stating that both names relate to the candidate; or
• Confirmation of name change by enrolled deed poll

If candidates cannot provide one of the documents listed above, or if the document does not bear a photograph, they will not be allowed to take the examination. The examination fee will not be refundable under these circumstances. If candidates are unable to provide the appropriate ID, please contact educ@fph.org.uk.

Further details about how and when to provide identification can be found in the candidate guidance.

Dress code

As a professional examination candidates should attend in "business casual" attire similar to that expected in a work environment. However, examiners will not take any account of appearance when marking candidates.

Starting the exam

The first six candidates will be brought to the exam circuit by Faculty Staff. They will wait outside the Preparation Stations until the beginning of the exam is announced.
Once the exam has begun and the first six candidates are in the Preparation Stations, the remaining six candidates will be brought to the circuit and wait outside the Preparation Stations.

When the 8 minutes is completed in the first round, the first six candidates will leave the Preparation Stations and move on to wait outside the examination station.

The first six candidates will enter the Examination Station and the remaining six candidates will enter the Preparation Station when directed to.

All candidates will then proceed to rotate through Preparation stations and Examination Stations until the exam is completed.

Completing the exam

Once the exam is in progress, candidates will rotate around six preparation and six examination stations, with each of these stations being eight minutes in duration. Between all stations, there will be a 1 minute gap for candidates to move on to the next station.

E.g. (Exam begins) preparation station 1 -> examination station 1 -> preparation station 2 -> examination station 2 - -> preparation station 3 -> examination station 3 -> preparation station 4 -> examination station 4 -> preparation station 5 -> examination station 5 -> preparation station 6 -> examination station 6 (Exam ends)

Preparation Station

When the candidate has been instructed to enter the Preparation Station the 8 minutes has begun. There will be 1 minute warning before the end of the station. When the station is complete an announcement will instruct the candidates to move on.

In the Preparation Station there will be a printed copy of the question for each candidate (please take one copy) and pens to make notes on the question itself or on provided plain paper. Candidates are asked not to take the pens out of the Stations. A digital clock (with seconds) will be present so that Candidates can manage their time.

Candidates should take their copy of the question and any separate note sheets they have made through to the examination station.

Examination Station

When the Candidate has been instructed to enter the station, they will be greeted by the Examiner, who will then check their ID. The Examiner will then start the station. Please note that the 8 minutes begins when the candidate is instructed to enter the station.

There will be a 1 minute warning announced and the candidate should move on to the next station when the announcement is made.

Candidates should refer to their own copy of the question and their notes.

Candidates are asked to leave all question material in this room where it will be disposed of.

Leaving the examination sitting

The candidates will be permitted to use the bathroom between the end of the briefing session and the start of the exam itself. The Faculty discourage use of the bathroom during the exam, however should a candidate wish to do so no extra time will be given.

Completing the examination sitting

Once the exam is finished Candidates will be led off the circuit back to their briefing room to complete their personal belongings.

For the purposes of Exam Security AM candidates will be held following the exam until all PM candidates have registered.

The Faculty will circulate a Candidate Questionnaire for feedback on the Exam.