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2020 Qualifying Exam and PAG Exam FAQs

Posted on July 8, 2020

 

No. All of the exams have been moved to July 16, 2020. This allows for all candidates to test on the same day and still allows our test delivery partner, Pearson VUE, to utilize social distancing guidelines in their test center locations to ensure the health and safety of all candidates due to COVID-19.

No. On May 15, Pearson VUE moved all candidates to the new date and to their originally requested test location. If you have not already done so, log into the Pearson VUE website as soon as possible to ensure your test date shows as July 16 and in your requested test location. If it does not, contact Pearson VUE directly at 888-235-7650. 

If you are unable to take your exam in the same Pearson VUE Center where you were scheduled in June, you may change your location by logging into your Pearson VUE account. It is critical that if you need to change your location, you log into your account as soon as possible so that you have the best chance of taking the exam at your preferred center. 

If a you are unable to take the exam on July 16 due to illness or quarantine from COVID-19, you should contact ABOG at exams@abog.org regarding an alternative. You must include your full name and ABOG ID number. This alternative will only apply to those who are unable to take the exam due to a COVID-19 diagnosis or because of quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19. To be considered eligible for an alternative, a note from a physician verifying diagnosis or results verifying a positive COVID-19 test are required. If quarantined, a note from a Program Director, Department Chair, or Hospital Administrator verifying quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19 will be required. Documentation of COVID-19 illness, or quarantine must be submitted to ABOG by email to exams@abog.org. All candidates in this situation should contact ABOG as soon as they know that they will be unable to take the QE or PAG exam due to COVID-19 circumstances, but this notification must be received no later than July 16, 2020.  

Contact exams@abog.org for assistance. Please include your name, ABOG ID number, and a brief summary of the situation preventing you from participating in the examination. We will reschedule you for next year and will either give you a refund or apply your fees to the 2021 QE as you prefer. We will also extend your certification eligibility for one year. 

No. Your requested accommodation(s) will remain secure. This is true for the Specialty and Subspecialty QEs and the PAG Exam. However, if you have received an exam accommodation for either lactation or extra time, but now you need to change your test location, you must contact the Pearson VUE Accommodation Department at 800-466-0450. You cannot move your test location without going through the accommodation department and still be assured of your accommodation.

Please contact us at exams@abog.org as soon as possible to let us know that you might need a lactation accommodation. You will need to reschedule your QE through the Pearson Vue Accommodation Department, but we will need to assist you with this process. 

You will need to follow the Pearson VUE guidance. If you have specific questions about the guidance, please contact your local Pearson VUE test center. 

Yes, please review the important health and safety guidelines that are in place at all Pearson VUE locations. You can take your exam at the Pearson VUE test site as long as you meet the CDC guidance for low risk of exposure while caring for COVID-19 positive patients found here. Health care providers can take the examination as long as they were wearing appropriate PPE while caring for COVID-19 positive patients. Patients should have been wearing a facemask.  

We will extend the period of eligibility for certification by an additional year for anyone that needs to postpone their 2020 QE.

Please contact us at exams@abog.org with your name, ABOG number, and situation, and we will be happy to write a letter for your new employer explaining that this change was out of your control. 

Yes, many options, including remote proctored delivery, client proctored delivery, and a second (additional) exam date were explored to allow for any candidate who wanted to take the QE or the PAG exam in 2020 to be able to do so. However, after considering all factors, including candidate and proctor safety and test security, it was determined that the July 16 date presented the best opportunity for all candidates to safely take their exams this year.