For the full details, see the CDQ Exam Handbook.
Exam Dates.
The CDQ Exam is currently offered two (2) times per year, may be taken after the candidate has been deemed eligible by the NCCAA and has scheduled an appointment with Pearson to take the exam. Exam dates for the upcoming calendar year may be found in the candidate’s individual profile following secure login to the NCCAA application, as well as at the bottom of the homepage at www.nccaa.org.
Upon eligibility approval and payment of registration fees, candidates may schedule an appointment to take the CDQ exam on any date within the examination window at a Pearson testing center of their choice. A list of centers may be found at https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/nccaa.html. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that not all test centers are open seven (7) days a week or operate on the same daily schedule. Further, availability of accommodations varies among test centers.
Upcoming CDQ Exam dates
All dates- Certification & CDQ ExamsFeb 9 – 13, 2027Register and book your exam Nov 9, 2026 – Feb 6, 2027 →
- Certification & CDQ ExamsJun 1 – 5, 2027Register and book your exam Mar 1 – Jun 2, 2027 →
Cancellation.
There are no refunds issued for any of the following reasons:
- Not scheduling the exam with the Pearson test center following registration with the NCCAA
- Canceling a scheduled examination less than 72 hours in advance of the date and time of the scheduled appointment
- Arriving more than 15 minutes after the scheduled starting time for the exam
- Failing to appear for the scheduled exam
The previous registration fee cannot be applied to another examination. At the discretion of the NCCAA, a registration fee paid for the February exam in the year due may be transferred to the June administration of the CDQ exam.
If the candidate experiences an emergency, they must provide the NCCAA with a written description and documentation of the emergency for review by email at [email protected]. Requests must be submitted within 24 hours of the scheduled exam date. Refunds are subject to a $100 administration fee.
Examples: Failing to bring the required current, valid photo identification is not considered an emergency. Failing to accurately record correct date, time or location for the scheduled exam appointment is not considered an emergency.
Exam Format.
The CDQ examination contains 135 items, divided into two (2) blocks of 68 & 67 items respectively, with 165 minutes divided equitably to complete both item blocks. The examination will be administered in the following format:
- Pre-test tutorial: 10 – 15 minutes
- Examination: 165 minutes – Two (2) item blocks with 83-minutes for block 1 and 82 minutes for block 2 with an optional break time of a maximum of 15 minutes to be taken between the two item blocks.
- Post-test survey: 10 – 15 minutes
The items are multiple choice in nature. The items are presented one at a time on a computer screen. Each item may be viewed as long as the candidate desires, and the candidate may go back to a previous item, within the current exam block. Once an answer choice has been recorded, the candidate may change the answer for a previously answered item within the current exam block. A candidate may not
re-enter an exam block once completed and submitted. Additionally, should a candidate take and unscheduled break during an active section, the candidate will not be allowed to go back to ta previous item that was viewed prior to the unscheduled break.
Exam construction is centered on the concept that the best items have demonstrated acceptable performance. Items that have not been utilized before have unknown performance characteristics. Therefore, it is necessary to pretest items and evaluate their performance. There are 20 such items on the CDQ Exam. These items appear throughout the examination. Items that survive the rigorous evaluation process are retained for use on future examinations. The pretest items are not used in the calculation of score for the examination.
The NCCAA Board of Directors appoints a group of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to serve on the CDQ Examination Subcommittee. This subcommittee meets annually to draft and review test items for inclusion within the approved item bank. Performance statistics for items are continuously monitored and reviewed for revision, removal or continued use by the NCCAA.
Exam Administration Site.
The NCCAA contracts with Pearson to administer the CDQ Exam at test centers located throughout the United States, with multiple sites in major metropolitan areas. Pearson is a global leader in exam development and administration, whose solutions deliver a science-based approach to testing across sectors, including certification, education, and licensure.
Exam Content.
The NCCAA maintains responsibility for the examination content outline and test specifications. Additionally, the NCCAA maintains an item bank of approved exam items and sets the passing score for all exams.
The content for the CDQ Exam is validated through a profession-wide national survey professional job analysis (JA), with expected analysis to occur every 5 – 7 years. The JA was most recently performed in 2021. The JA ensures the CDQ Exam reflects the knowledge of an entry-level anesthesiologist assistant. Content validation is achieved by linking the JA data with knowledge and skill statements. To complete the process, the items are drafted to meet the examination content outline derived from the JA. The JA is essential to the validation that the CDQ Exam is directly job-related, a fair assessment of entry-level knowledge, and legally defensible.
The following examination content outline, developed from responses to the 2021 JA, is provided to assist candidates in preparing for the CDQ Exam. The exam content outline is only a guide suggesting topics and subject areas used to generate and categorize examination items. The exam content outline is not all-inclusive, as some elements apply to more than one subject area. Therefore, candidates must validate their knowledge of a subject and must also be able to integrate this knowledge across the spectrum of anesthesia practice to successfully pass the CDQ exam.
The NCCAA reserves the exclusive right to determine CDQ examination content, to classify examination items, and to establish the percentage of exam items from each of the related subject areas. For candidate preparation purposes, the approximate percentages of items in each of the six (6) major content areas are provided in the Exam Content Outline.
Day of Exam.
Arrival
The candidate should arrive at the Pearson Test Center at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled test time. The candidate who arrives at the test center more than 15 minutes after scheduled test time will not be admitted.
Identification
To gain admission to the Test Center, the candidate must present one (1) valid (current) form of government-issued identification that includes their name and photograph. No form of temporary identification will be accepted. The candidate will also be required to sign a roster for verification of identity.
- Examples of valid forms of identification are a driver’s license with photograph; state identification card with photograph; passport; or military identification card with photograph.
- If the first and last name on the registration is different than it appears on their identification, the candidate must bring proof of their name change (e.g., marriage license, divorce decree or court order).
Candidates must have proper identification to gain admission to the Test Center. Failure to provide appropriate identification at the time of the examination is considered a missed appointment. There will be no refund of examination fees.
Security
Pearson administration and security standards are designed to ensure all candidates are provided the same opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The Test Center is continuously monitored by audio and video surveillance equipment for security purposes.
The following security procedures apply during the examination:
- Examinations are proprietary. No cameras, tape recorders, pagers or cellular/smart phones are allowed in the testing room. Possession of a cellular/smart phone or other electronic devices is strictly prohibited and will result in dismissal from the examination.
- No calculators are allowed. If a calculator is needed, it will be provided via the test delivery software.
- No guests, visitors or family members are allowed in the testing room or reception areas.
Personal Belongings
No personal items, valuables, or weapons should be brought to the Test Center. Only wallets and keys are permitted. Coats must be left outside the testing room. Candidates will be provided a locker to store their wallet and/or keys with them in the testing room. They will not have access to these items until after the examination is completed. Please note the following items will not be allowed in the testing room:
- Watches
- Hats
- Wallets
- Keys
- Electronic devices
Once the candidate has placed everything into the locker, they may be asked to pull out their pockets to ensure they are empty. The proctor may also ask candidates to lift up the ends of their sleeves and the bottoms of their pant legs to ensure that notes or recording devices are not hidden there. Proctors will also carefully inspect eyeglass frames, tie tacks, or any other apparel that could be used to harbor a recording device.
If all personal items will not fit in the locker, you will not be able to test. The site will not store any personal belongings. The candidate may need to return items to their vehicle. Personal belongings include, but are not limited to, the following items:
- Electronic devices of any type, including cellular / mobile phones, recording devices, electronic watches, cameras, pagers, laptop computers, tablet computers (e.g., iPads), music players (e.g., iPods), smart watches, radios, or electronic games.
- Bulky or loose clothing or coats that could be used to conceal recording devices or notes. For security purposes outerwear such as, but not limited to open sweaters, cardigans, shawls, scarves, hoodies, vests, jackets and coats are not permitted in the testing room. In the event a candidate is asked to remove the outerwear, appropriate attire, such as a shirt or blouse should be worn underneath.
- Hats or headgear not worn for religious reasons or as religious apparel, including hats, baseball caps, or visors.
- Other personal items, including purses, notebooks, reference or reading material, briefcases, backpacks, wallets, pens, pencils, other writing devices, food, drinks, and good luck items.
If any personal items are observed in the testing room after the examination is started, the administration may be subject to forfeiture.
Test Center Environment.
It is unlikely that an NCCAA certification candidate will be the only person taking an examination in the examination room. Individuals taking other examinations will most likely be present. Some examinations may require full use of the computer keyboard, and there may be accompanying keyboard noise. In addition, Pearson personnel and other individuals may leave and enter the exam room during the certification candidate’s exam period.
Test centers will make every effort to keep movement of personnel and noise levels to a minimum during examination administrations. However, if a certification candidate believes that noise may be a distraction, they should request earplugs at the test center to use during the CDQ Exam.
In the unlikely event that the test center is unable to provide a reasonable environment for examination, the candidate should notify the test center staff, request documentation of the issue from the test center, and notify the NCCAA as soon as practicable.
Individual exam rooms are not available at most test centers and would require accommodation application and documentation in advance to be utilized. (See Accommodations section).
Examination Format.
The CDQ examination contains 135 items, divided into two (2) blocks of 68 & 67 items respectively, with 165 minutes divided equitably to complete both item blocks. The examination will be administered in the following format:
- Pre-test tutorial: 10 – 15 minutes
- Examination: 165 minutes – Two (2) item blocks with 83-minutes for block 1 and 82 minutes for block 2 with an optional break time of a maximum of 15 minutes to be taken between the two item blocks.
- Post-test survey: 10 – 15 minutes
Behavior During an Exam.
The candidate is not permitted to bring any personal belongings into the testing room, including but not limited to written or printed materials, mechanical or electronic devices, handbag, wallet, notes, study materials, calculator, watch, recording or filming devices, cell phone, food, or beverages.
The candidate is not permitted to communicate with, seek aid from, or provide aid to any other candidate during the examination.
During the examination, calculations may be performed by using the marker board and marker provided by the test center. An online calculator will be presented to the candidate during the examination. The calculator icon can be found on their computer screen.
Test center staff monitor all testing sessions during examinations.
Test center staff is not authorized to answer questions from candidates regarding examination content, testing software, or scoring.
Restrooms are provided at the test center, and a candidate may be excused from testing to use the restroom according to test center regulations. Candidates will receive one break without the clock running – a maximum of 15 minutes to be taken between the first and second examination blocks only.
Audio and video monitoring is employed at all test centers. Inappropriate behavior during testing may result in termination of testing. Inappropriate behavior during testing may result in the candidate’s examination being declared invalid.
Issues at Test Center.
Candidates will have access to a test center administrator. As a general policy, if a problem occurs with the computer and a candidate must restart their exam on the scheduled test day, the exam will be resumed at the point of interruption as the items and answers are saved to a backup continuously. However, if the exam cannot be resumed on the same day and the candidate must reschedule their exam, a new CDQ Examination will be administered. There will be no charge to the candidate for rescheduling an exam if the problem was caused by circumstances at the Pearson test center.
Issues related to admission or administration of the CDQ Exam, including any issues related to conditions at a Pearson test center, should be reported immediately at the test center before leaving, and as soon as possible, but no later than three (3) business days after the examination, by email to the NCCAA office at [email protected].
Reports to the NCCAA should include the candidate’s full name, test center location and address, as well as a description of the conditions that caused the issue(s) at the test center. After reviewing a report of a problem at a test center, the NCCAA may, at its discretion, determine whether a new CDQ Exam should be administered, or another action should be taken. NCCAA will not consider notice of exam administration issues received more than three (3) business days after the examination date.