Information on Spring 2021 applied exams at hotel sites
Last updated March 29, 2021
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We recommend that you review the following information in order to familiarize yourself with the applied exam interface. Please note that while the information on this page is accurate, some small details are subject to change. We may be updating this page frequently. We recommend that you bookmark this page, so you can easily return to it for reference.
Please note all 2021 applied exams will be administered at hotel exam sites.
What to expect during your applied exam
What should I bring with me?
You must bring a piece of government-issued photo identification with your signature to your exam. Examples of acceptable identification include a passport, driver’s license or provincial health card. Documents must be in either English or French.
An admission card will be presented to you at the exam site during registration. A representative of the Royal College will ask you to sign it in his/her presence. Once you’ve signed your admission card, you will be provided with login credentials for the exam software.
You will also be asked to turn in your electronic devices. Electronic devices are not allowed in your hotel exam room. All electronic devices, including cell phones and digital/smart watches, will be collected. They will be returned to you at the end of the examination or sequestering period.
The only items you are allowed to bring to your assigned hotel room are your login credentials, a snack and drink. You are also permitted to bring any PPE that you wish to wear for the exams. Some PPE equipment (masks) and sanitizer may be available to candidates, recognizing the ongoing supply and availability challenges. Proceed to your assigned hotel room.
There will be a designated area to store all your personal belongings. If you wish to wear a watch for your own timekeeping purposes, please wear an analogue watch. There is also a timer on the exam interface and in the bottom corner of the laptop.
What to expect during your applied exam
Please read this important fact sheet, related to your specialty, which contains important information about number of examiners, stations, time management, examiner professionalism and when you will get your results. Please select the fact sheet that pertains to your specialty.
Specialties with 4x15 format – Internal Medicine
Specialties with 4x30 format – Hematological Pathology, Plastic Surgery, Vascular Surgery
Specialties with 6x20 format – Cardiac Surgery, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Medical Genetics & Genomics, Neurosurgery, Nuclear Medicine, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, Urology
Specialties with 8x15 format – Anesthesiology, Diagnostic Radiology, General Surgery, Medical Microbiology, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology, Pediatrics, Public Health & Preventative Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Rheumatology (Adult)
Specialties with 4x15 format –
Internal Medicine
| Part 1 - General Exam Information | |
|---|---|
| Examiners | You will encounter 4 different examiners during the course of this exam. |
| Part 2 – Conduct of Exam | |
| Station information |
This is a 4 station OSCE style oral exam. The stations are 15 minutes each with 2 minutes between stations. You may be provided with a scenario or instructions before your encounter with the examiner. Please read them carefully. The examiner will pose questions to you as you move through the cases. If at any point you would like to have a question repeated or discussion point expanded upon, do not hesitate to ask the examiner for clarification. The examiner will make every effort to respond to the request within the limits of the examination process. You may write notes on the provided scrap paper while you are in the rooms but you must leave all paper and any other materials provided to you in the room when you finish your examination. DO NOT take anything into the hotel hallways. If you are scheduled in an AM session, you will be sequestered until the next group of candidates has all registered. If at any point you have an issue in your station or trouble with computer, please notify your invigilator immediately. |
|
Time management |
The examiner is aware of how much material needs to be covered per station and is his/her responsibility to manage the time accordingly. The examiner will want to give you every opportunity to address all the questions within the station. He/she may indicate that, “in the interests of time you will need to move to the next question.” This type of comment has no bearing on your performance. It is simply an effort to ensure that you complete the station. If at any time during the station you are unclear about something, ask the examiner to clarify. There will be a station timer embedded in the virtual station. Some stations may finish early – if this occurs, you will be asked to remain in the virtual exam room until the time is up and you are moved to the next station and examiner encounter, or the signal is made to announce the end of the exam. You will have the opportunity to use the washroom up to 15 minutes before the start of the exam, during sequestration, if applicable, or after the exam ends. |
|
Examiner Professionalism |
The examiners have been instructed to interact with you in a professional manner − don’t be put off if they are not as warm and friendly towards you as usual. We recognize this is a stressful situation and the examiner is aware that you are nervous. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts before responding, simply indicate this to the examiner. |
|
Conflicts (with examiners) (what is a conflict? What to do in the event that you face a conflict?) |
The examiners come from across the country. You will likely recognize some of them and may have worked with some of them in a clinical capacity at your own centre. This is completely acceptable to the College and is not a conflict unless you or examiner perceives it as such (i.e., if the examiner had a substantial contribution to your training or evaluation, or if you have another professional or personal relationship with the examiner). Identify the conflict at moment of introduction, examiners have been instructed to do the same. Examiners will alert the Royal College staff – every attempt will be made to find a suitable replacement for the station. |
| Confidentiality |
Electronic devices are NOT permitted. Communication with other candidates during the exam is prohibited. Do not discuss the exam with other candidates taking the exam or who will be taking the exam. |
| Part 3 – Post Examination | |
| Published results |
Results will be posted approximately 15 business days following the date of your examination. This time frame may vary due to factors related to unprecedented circumstances amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic. |
| Post-exam survey |
An email notice will be sent by the Royal College with a link to complete an online survey. We encourage you to be honest and provide us with feedback, as it helps us improve the process and is useful as we plan future exams. If specific questions and/or stations are of concern, please describe them on the survey. |
Specialties with 4x30 format –
Hematological Pathology, Plastic Surgery, Vascular Surgery
| Part 1 - General Exam Information | |
|---|---|
| Examiners | You will encounter 4 different examiners during the course of this exam. |
| Part 2 – Conduct of Exam | |
| Station information |
This is a 4 station OSCE style oral exam. The stations are 30 minutes each with 5 minutes between stations. You may be provided with a scenario or instructions before your encounter with the examiner. Please read them carefully. The examiner will pose questions to you as you move through the cases. If at any point you would like to have a question repeated or discussion point expanded upon, do not hesitate to ask the examiner for clarification. The examiner will make every effort to respond to the request within the limits of the examination process. You may write notes on the provided scrap paper while you are in the rooms but you must leave all paper and any other materials provided to you in the room when you finish your examination. DO NOT take anything into the hotel hallways. If you are scheduled in an AM session, you will be sequestered until the next group of candidates has all registered. If at any point you have an issue in your station or trouble with computer, please notify your invigilator immediately. |
|
Time management |
The examiner is aware of how much material needs to be covered per station and is his/her responsibility to manage the time accordingly. The examiner will want to give you every opportunity to address all the questions within the station. He/she may indicate that, “in the interests of time you will need to move to the next question.” This type of comment has no bearing on your performance. It is simply an effort to ensure that you complete the station. If at any time during the station you are unclear about something, ask the examiner to clarify. There will be a station timer embedded in the virtual station. Some stations may finish early – if this occurs, you will be asked to remain in the virtual exam room until the time is up and you are moved to the next station and examiner encounter, or the signal is made to announce the end of the exam. You will have the opportunity to use the washroom up to 15 minutes before the start of the exam, during sequestration, if applicable, or after the exam ends. |
|
Examiner Professionalism |
The examiners have been instructed to interact with you in a professional manner − don’t be put off if they are not as warm and friendly towards you as usual. We recognize this is a stressful situation and the examiner is aware that you are nervous. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts before responding, simply indicate this to the examiner. |
|
Conflicts (with examiners) (what is a conflict? What to do in the event that you face a conflict?) |
The examiners come from across the country. You will likely recognize some of them and may have worked with some of them in a clinical capacity at your own centre. This is completely acceptable to the College and is not a conflict unless you or examiner perceives it as such (i.e. if the examiner had a substantial contribution to your training or evaluation, or if you have another professional or personal relationship with the examiner). Identify the conflict at moment of introduction, examiners have been instructed to do the same. Examiners will alert the Royal College staff – every attempt will be made to find a suitable replacement for the station. |
| Confidentiality |
Electronic devices are NOT permitted. Communication with other candidates during the exam is prohibited. Do not discuss the exam with other candidates taking the exam or who will be taking the exam. |
| Part 3 – Post Examination | |
| Published results |
Results will be posted approximately 15 business days following the date of your examination. This time frame may vary due to factors related to unprecedented circumstances amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic. |
| Post-exam survey |
An email notice will be sent by the Royal College with a link to complete an online survey. We encourage you to be honest and provide us with feedback, as it helps us improve the process and is useful as we plan future exams. If specific questions and/or stations are of concern, please describe them on the survey. |
Specialties with 6x20 format –
Cardiac Surgery, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Medical Genetics
& Genomics, Neurosurgery, Nuclear Medicine, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, Urology
| Part 1 - General Exam Information | |
|---|---|
| Examiners | You will encounter 6 different examiners during the course of this exam. |
| Part 2 – Conduct of Exam | |
| Station information |
This is a 6 station OSCE style oral exam. The stations are 20 minutes each with 3 minutes between stations. You may be provided with a scenario or instructions before your encounter with the examiner. Please read them carefully. The examiner will pose questions to you as you move through the cases. If at any point you would like to have a question repeated or discussion point expanded upon, do not hesitate to ask the examiner for clarification. The examiner will make every effort to respond to the request within the limits of the examination process. You may write notes on the provided scrap paper while you are in the rooms but you must leave all paper and any other materials provided to you in the room when you finish your examination. DO NOT take anything into the hotel hallways. If you are scheduled in an AM session, you will be sequestered until the next group of candidates has all registered. If at any point you have an issue in your station or trouble with computer, please notify your invigilator immediately. |
|
Time management |
The examiner is aware of how much material needs to be covered per station and is his/her responsibility to manage the time accordingly. The examiner will want to give you every opportunity to address all the questions within the station. He/she may indicate that, “in the interests of time you will need to move to the next question.” This type of comment has no bearing on your performance. It is simply an effort to ensure that you complete the station. If at any time during the station you are unclear about something, ask the examiner to clarify. There will be a station timer embedded in the virtual station. Some stations may finish early – if this occurs, you will be asked to remain in the virtual exam room until the time is up and you are moved to the next station and examiner encounter, or the signal is made to announce the end of the exam. You will have the opportunity to use the washroom up to 15 minutes before the start of the exam, during sequestration, if applicable, or after the exam ends. |
|
Examiner Professionalism |
The examiners have been instructed to interact with you in a professional manner- don’t be put off if they are not as warm and friendly towards you as usual. We recognize this is a stressful situation and the examiner is aware that you are nervous. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts before responding simply indicate this to the examiner. |
|
Conflicts (with examiners) (what is a conflict? What to do in the event that you face a conflict?) |
The examiners come from across the country. You will likely recognize some of them and may have worked with some of them in a clinical capacity at your own centre. This is completely acceptable to the College and is not a conflict unless you or examiner perceives it as such (i.e. if the examiner had a substantial contribution to your training or evaluation, or if you have another professional or personal relationship with the examiner). Identify the conflict at moment of introduction, examiners have been instructed to do the same. Examiners will alert the Royal College staff – every attempt will be made to find a suitable replacement for the station. |
| Confidentiality |
Electronic devices are NOT permitted. Communication with other candidates during the exam is prohibited. Do not discuss the exam with other candidates taking the exam or who will be taking the exam. |
| Part 3 – Post Examination | |
| Published results |
Results will be posted approximately 15 business days following the date of your examination. This time frame may vary due to factors related to unprecedented circumstances amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic. |
| Post-exam survey |
An email notice will be sent by the Royal College with a link to complete an online survey. We encourage you to be honest and provide us with feedback, as it helps us improve the process and is useful as we plan future exams. If specific questions and/or stations are of concern, please describe them on the survey. |
Specialties with 8x15 format –
Anesthesiology, Diagnostic Radiology, General Surgery, Medical
Microbiology, Neurology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Orthopedic Surgery, Otolaryngology,
Pediatrics, Public Health & Preventative Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Rheumatology
(Adult)
| Part 1 - General Exam Information | |
|---|---|
| Examiners | You will encounter 8 different examiners during the course of this exam. |
| Part 2 – Conduct of Exam | |
| Station information |
This is an 8 station OSCE style oral exam. The stations are 15 minutes each with 1-2 minutes between stations. You may be provided with a scenario or instructions before your encounter with the examiner. Please read them carefully. The examiner will pose questions to you as you move through the cases. If at any point you would like to have a question repeated or discussion point expanded upon, do not hesitate to ask the examiner for clarification. The examiner will make every effort to respond to the request within the limits of the examination process. You may write notes on the provided scrap paper while you are in the rooms but you must leave all paper and any other materials provided to you in the room when you finish your examination. DO NOT take anything into the hotel hallways. If you are scheduled in an AM session, you will be sequestered until the next group of candidates has all registered. If at any point you have an issue in your station or trouble with computer, please notify your invigilator immediately. |
|
Time management |
The examiner is aware of how much material needs to be covered per station and is his/her responsibility to manage the time accordingly. The examiner will want to give you every opportunity to address all the questions within the station. He/she may indicate that, “in the interests of time you will need to move to the next question.” This type of comment has no bearing on your performance. It is simply an effort to ensure that you complete the station. If at any time during the station you are unclear about something, ask the examiner to clarify. There will be a station timer embedded in the virtual station. Some stations may finish early – if this occurs, you will be asked to remain in the virtual exam room until the time is up and you are moved to the next station and examiner encounter, or the signal is made to announce the end of the exam. You will have the opportunity to use the washroom up to 15 minutes before the start of the exam, during sequestration, if applicable, or after the exam ends. |
|
Examiner Professionalism |
The examiners have been instructed to interact with you in a professional manner- don’t be put off if they are not as warm and friendly towards you as usual. We recognize this is a stressful situation and the examiner is aware that you are nervous. If you need a moment to collect your thoughts before responding simply indicate this to the examiner. |
|
Conflicts (with examiners) (what is a conflict? What to do in the event that you face a conflict?) |
The examiners come from across the country. You will likely recognize some of them and may have worked with some of them in a clinical capacity at your own centre. This is completely acceptable to the College and is not a conflict unless you or examiner perceives it as such (i.e. if the examiner had a substantial contribution to your training or evaluation, or if you have another professional or personal relationship with the examiner). Identify the conflict at moment of introduction, examiners have been instructed to do the same. Examiners will alert the Royal College staff – every attempt will be made to find a suitable replacement for the station. |
| Confidentiality |
Electronic devices are NOT permitted. Communication with other candidates during the exam is prohibited. Do not discuss the exam with other candidates taking the exam or who will be taking the exam. |
| Part 3 – Post Examination | |
| Published results |
Results will be posted approximately 15 business days following the date of your examination. This time frame may vary due to factors related to unprecedented circumstances amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic. |
| Post-exam survey |
An email notice will be sent by the Royal College with a link to complete an online survey. We encourage you to be honest and provide us with feedback, as it helps us improve the process and is useful as we plan future exams. If specific questions and/or stations are of concern, please describe them on the survey. |
How do I log in?
- 15 minutes before the start of your exam: you may login to the Practique applied exam system, which will be open for you on the laptop provided by the Royal College.
You will be directed to a holding screen. Do not use the keyboard or click on any links on the page in front of you. Once at the holding screen as shown below, do not click “Start Proctoring.” When the exam administrators are ready, they will start your exam. You will then automatically be launched into the applied exam system. Failure to wait, clicking on links or using the keyboard may cause a delay in starting your exam. Do not click the Logout button, unless otherwise instructed to do so.
The
system may ask to grant permission to enable the camera and microphone. Make sure to
accept to start them.
Verify that your microphone and camera are working properly, and that you can see and hear the
examiner clearly before proceeding with the assessment.
Station timing and rotations
- Your exam is organized into two timing periods:
- Exam time – During this period, you will be answering questions with your
examiner. You may also be given additional resources to review.
Note: This is an
example only; exam times may vary. - Marking time – During this period, please sit quietly with your camera and microphone ON and wait for the next station. At the end of the marking time, you will be launched into your next station automatically, and connected via video to your next examiner. If your specialty has a reading time, please immediately start reviewing your instructions to candidates.
- Exam time – During this period, you will be answering questions with your
examiner. You may also be given additional resources to review.
- There are two areas on the interface that reference time:
- Elapsed Time – This is the total time allotted to the station, including exam time and marking time.
- Notification bar – notifies you about which timing period (Exam time or Marking time) you are in.
- Round, Station and Circuit information – As you move through the stations, you’ll
notice that the round and the station numbers will change. This is only for your
reference.
- Automatic rotation – Watch this video demonstrating the automatic rotation from station to station, and examiner to examiner. At the end of the station time, you will be moved to the next station and automatically connected to the next examiner. There are no actions required from the candidate to rotate between stations. Please ensure your microphone and camera are on at all times during the exam.
How do I view resources?
A resource can be scans, x-rays and test results, as the examiner can share information during the exam; it is dependent on the format of your exam.
- 1x1 and 2x2 functionality
- Watch this video that shows how to use the 1x1 and 2x2 resource viewing functionality.
- When to use – 1x1 functionality is what most of the specialties will be using to view their resources. 2x2 lets you see up to four resources at a time.
- How to reset – Click the 1x1 or the 2x2 button to switch between them.
- How to use the image viewer
- Watch this video showing how to use the image viewer.
- Click the resource control options to move (pan), zoom, scroll or rotate the
resource.
- Pan - Click PAN, hold left mouse button and move the mouse to move the resource.
- Zoom - Click ZOOM, hold left mouse button and move forward or backward to zoom in/out.
- Rotate - Click ROTATE, hold left mouse button and move forward or backward to rotate the resource (e.g. 90⁰). Viewing an image/document – When the station requires you to view a resource, the examiner will release it to you and then you can use the resource control options to move, zoom, or rotate the resource.
- Scroll – Viewing a PowerPoint (a stack of images or documents) – Hold left mouse button and move forward or backward to scroll through the stack.
- Full screen – To launch your resource into full screen, double click on the resource on the resource pane. To exit full screen, you can either click the X button in the top right-hand corner of the screen or hit the ESC button on your keyboard. DO NOT HIT THE X on the top of the webpage. If you accidently exit out of the webpage, open Google Chrome and then hit CTRL+SHIFT+T on your keyboard to launch yourself back into your station.
- Reset – To reset your image, click RESET in your resource control options.
How do I submit my exam?
Once you have completed all your stations, a prompt will appear asking you to submit your exam. Click SUBMIT.
Onsite Sequestering
Sequestering may be required following your applied exam in order to protect the integrity of the exam and ensure that the exam content is not communicated to others who have not yet taken the exam.
If you are in an afternoon exam session: Kindly respect the sign-in times on your appointment letter to ensure the sequestering period is as short as possible for all candidates.
If you are in a morning exam session: You will be sequestered in your assigned hotel room until candidates for the afternoon session are in their hotel room. Sequestering will last approximately 1.5-2 hours and you must remain in the same room in which you completed your exam. Electronic devices will not be accessible until the sequestering period is finished.
Please note:
- You will be permitted to use the washroom.
- You can bring snacks and drinks. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada will not be providing any.
- You are not permitted to leave your assigned hotel room for any reason.
- You are not permitted to use electronic devices. This includes the computer provided for your exam.
- You can notify Royal College representatives if you need to collect an item from your personal belongings, as long as it is not clinical or study material.
- Please refer to your appointment letter for additional details.