In-Service Training Examination

Examination Timeline

The examination is held annually during the third week of January on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The 2027 In-Service Training Examination may be given over four consecutive days:

• Wednesday, January 20, 2027
• Thursday, January 21, 2027
• Friday, January 22, 2027
• Saturday, January 23, 2027

Programs who have difficulty scheduling all their residents in one day have the option of administering the examination for up to four consecutive days. Any request to deviate from this policy must be submitted in writing to CREOG for consideration.

Please note: individual residents must still complete the examination in one day.

There are no make-up or alternate days for the In-Service Training Examination.

Exam Structure

The examination requires one full day of testing in five blocks, with each block being 60 minutes. There are suggested 10-minute breaks after the first, second, and fourth test blocks, and one suggested 60-minute break after the third test block. The exam will consist of 300 questions, with 60 questions per test block.
To elaborate, all of the breaks are suggested, not mandatory, and each resident will be able to start their breaks (or skip them) as they finish a section. The residents don’t need to take their breaks at the same time as some will move through an exam block more quickly than others, while others will need the full 60 minutes per session.

Lunch Breaks

There are two options for how programs choose to use their lunch break.

In the first method, the unmodified exam structure, examinees go at their own pace and can opt to skip their breaks and continue testing. Examinees reach the 60-minute break at different times, which works well for some programs but does not allow for a group lunch break.

The second method is for examinees to complete the first three test blocks at their own pace, then stop the clock by holding down the Ctrl, Shift, and Q buttons to close their browser and prevent the loss of any test or break time. Once all examinees have done this, they can start lunch. When your program’s lunch break is over and your examinees are ready to resume the exam for the fourth test block together, please refer to page 23 of the Chief Proctor’s Manual for detailed instructions about how to approve a restart of the exam.

You do not need permission and do not need to inform CREOG or the National Board of Medical Examiners if your residents are planning to take a lunch break together. Please simply use the instructions above.

Dates and Registration

Registration for the 2027 exam will open in September 2026. More information will be available soon.

Accommodations

Examinees requiring accommodations can apply for additional breaks or extended time. The application for accommodations for the 2027 CREOG In-Service Training Examination will open in the fall. Please check back for more information.

Proctor Selection

Select one Chief Proctor per test site. The Chief Proctor is responsible for performing any actions that affect ALL examinees, such as starting the exam session, ending the exam session, and submitting the Test Administration Report. The Chief Proctor must remain on-site during the entire exam.

Recruit one Assistant Proctor for every 20 to 25 examinees expected in each testing room. Examinees should not be left unmonitored or without a proctor in the test room during the exam. If your test site has more than one testing room, you will need one Assistant Proctor for every additional room with a dedicated computer workstation to assist with managing the test administration. Additional support staff should also be available to relieve the Chief Proctor and Assistant Proctors, if necessary.

Proctor Training

Proctors for the CREOG In-Service Training Examination will now be able to login to monitor and manage examinee progress in real time. In preparation, proctors will receive a copy of the Chief Proctors Manual for instructions on how to set up workstations, download the secure browser, log into the exam administration system, and monitor examinee progress.

• Watch the Training: Proctor Training with NBME for the CREOG Exam

The In-Service Training Examination can be taken on laptops with either macOS and Windows operating systems.

Further communication and instruction on all aspects of exam registration and administration will be sent during the lead up to the exam. Please continue to check your inbox and the website for further updates.