The Days of the Examination - Part I (MCQ)
Examination Day Schedule
You will write Part I of the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination in two sittings over two consecutive days. Each sitting (examination period) is 3.75 hours in length and is usually administered according to the following schedule. Start times are different across Canada.
15 minutes
Admission to examination room
Instructions to candidates
3.75 hours
Examination period |
Admission and Identification
Your PEBC Identification / Card of Admission, together with other important information, will be sent to you 2-3 weeks before the examination. It is important to read all materials very carefully before the examination. Your PEBC Identification / Card of Admission must be brought to the examination room for each sitting and placed on your examination desk for inspection by the Presiding Officer and Invigilators (examination staff). Never write on your PEBC Identification / Card of Admission. If a female candidate cannot be identified due to a veil covering her face, a female Invigilator will be assigned to take the candidate to a private area where the Invigilator can confirm the candidate’s identity.
You must arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start of the examination at the specific location and time indicated on your Identification / Card of Admission. For example, if your examination is scheduled to start at 9:00 am, the report time indicated on your PEBC Identification/Card of Admission will be 8:45 am. You must be at the examination location by 8:45 am. During the 15-minute period between the report time and the examination start time, the Presiding Officer will distribute answer sheets, PEBC calculators and pencils, and provide examination instructions. After instructions are given and all candidates are seated, the examination booklets will be distributed and the examination will begin.
If you are more than one hour late, you will be admitted to the examination only with the consent of the Presiding Officer. You will NOT be granted entry once any candidates have left the examination room. No extra time will be given to compensate for arriving late.
Unless otherwise authorized, only candidates for the scheduled examination who present their PEBC Identification / Card of Admission will be permitted to enter the examination room. Family members or friends of candidates are NOT permitted to enter the examination building.
Please Note: Although PEBC attempts to ensure the comfort of all candidates and personnel, you are advised to dress for fluctuating temperatures in examination rooms.
Examination Centre Conditions/Environment
Although PEBC attempts to ensure the comfort of all candidates and personnel, conditions are sometimes beyond our control (e.g. temperature fluctuations), You are strongly encouraged to dress for fluctuating temperatures in examination rooms.
Notes: There is no smoking on examination premises.
Please do not wear scented cosmetics and perfumes, as some individuals are very allergic to such substances and you may be refused entry to the examination. |
There is no smoking on examination premises. Please do not wear scented cosmetics and perfumes as some individuals are very allergic to such substances and you may be refused entry to the examination.
Candidate Materials
The examination is closed-book. No aids are permitted other than the calculator provided by PEBC.
No digital watches are permitted. You should take a non-digital watch (with hands to show the hour and minutes) to the examination room in case there is not a clock that you can easily read. It is your responsibility to monitor and use examination time appropriately.
Pencils (with eraser tips) and standardized scientific calculators will be provided to all candidates. Calculator instructions are available on this website (see Calculators) and will also be found in each Examination Booklet. Please note that no additional time (for calculator “practice”) will be given to the examination administration. PEBC examination calculations do not require complex operations on the calculator, even though the calculator has many advanced capabilities.
Provision of calculators to all candidates taking PEBC examinations will eliminate security concerns associated with personal calculators, and will enhance consistency at all examination centres.
If you must take any medication during the examination time, bring it with you and show it to the Presiding Officer before the examination begins. Any packaging, inserts or related written material must be left at home or handed in to examination staff.
Items such as passports, wallets or small purses may be placed underneath your chairs. Coats, large bags and other belongings must be stored in the location designated by examination staff.
During the examination period, you will NOT be permitted to have anything on your desk, EXCEPT:
• your PEBC Identification / Card of Admission
• the examination booklet
• an answer sheet
• a pencil (with eraser) supplied by PEBC
• a standardized scientific calculator supplied by PEBC
• a beverage and/or a small snack (in a clear plastic bag or see-through container; any wrappers on food products, e.g. chocolate bars, must be removed)
| Note: During the examination, calculations or other notations may be written only in the examination booklet (NOT on the answer sheet or your ID/Card of Admission or elsewhere). |
Surfaces of desks and all candidate materials and belongings are subject to inspection by examination personnel, at any time.
You Must NOT Bring into the Examination (these items are strictly prohibited):
• books, notes, envelopes, or reference materials of any kind
• calculators, rulers, pencil cases
• data organizers or other digital or electronic storage devices (including digital watches/timepieces)
• communication devices of any kind including pagers or cellular telephones
• computers of any kind including hand-held devices
• photographic, recording or transmission devices of any kind or
• paper items of any kind, whether blank, printed, or written upon, including similar items such as wrappers on food or beverages.
| Note:
The Presiding Officer of Examination Invigilator has the authority to inspect any materials brought into the examination and/or to request that candidates remove outerwear, roll up their sleeves and empty all pockets to permit inspection for watches and other prohibited items.
Any materials that may compromise the administration or security of the examination will be confiscated and the candidate in possession of such materials may not be permitted to begin the examination, or to continue if it has already begun. Confiscated items will be sent to the PEBC for inspection, together with a report of the incident, and will be kept until any inspection or investigation is completed.
During the examination, calculations or other notations may be written only in the examination booklet (NOT on the answer sheet or ID / Card of Admission or elsewhere). |
During the Examination
You and other candidates MUST NOT converse or communicate with one another in any manner whatsoever, or speak or read out loud while the examination is underway. Violation of this rule may result in the cancellation of your standing in the session.
You may converse with examination personnel if required, in a discrete and confidential manner. If you wish to use the washroom or when you are ready to hand in your examination materials, you must raise your hand to indicate this to examination personnel.
Candidates should behave in a professional and courteous manner when interacting with examination personnel.
At the End of the Examination
At the end of the examination, you must leave the examination premises immediately after handing in your examination booklet and answer sheet and other examination materials. You must make all arrangements for transportation before entering the examination site and you must wait outside the building for friends or transportation.