Certification Examination

Accessing the PCBIS Examination:

Upon application approval, applicants receive an email notifying enrollment in the PCBIS Examination. Please use the enrollment email’s unique link to access the PCBIS Examination.

Suggested Study Resources

• ACBIS Examination Study Outline
• Essential Brain Injury Guide, Edition 6.0 Study Companion (Print & Digital)

PCBIS Examination Guidelines and Instructions

• Candidates have two hours to complete the examination (unless accommodation has been requested under the ADA and approved).
• There are 70 multiple-choice questions. All of the questions are equal in value. There is only one correct answer for each question.
• Candidates must score 80% or higher on the examination to pass and receive certification.

Proctoring Requirements:

The exam is online, available on-demand, and proctored using automated facial, screen, and audio capture. There is no advanced scheduling. Candidates will need:

• A computer with a webcam and a microphone
• A smartphone or tablet with a camera and QR scanning capability
• A photo ID (i.e., driver’s license, work badge, etc.)
• Google Chrome (recommended) or Firefox browser

Retakes

PCBIS Certification includes two attempts of the PCBIS Examination within a one-year testing session. ACBIS allows for a third attempt at the PCBIS Examination during the one-year testing session, requiring a 30-day waiting period from the most recent attempt and payment of the Third Attempt Fee of $125. Candidates will need to email ACBIS to receive access to an examination retake. After the one-year testing session or third attempt, candidates must reapply.

Certificate Issuance:

The certificate is valid for one year and is available in Account Transcripts. Certificants in good standing have the right to utilize the PCBIS credential.

ADA Accommodations:

ACBIS provides reasonable testing accommodations, guided by the Americans with Disabilities Act, to certification candidates with documented disabilities. Candidates should review the information and complete the Request for Accommodations form (here) to be considered for accommodations.

Note: This exam is proprietary and belongs to the Brain Injury Association of America. During or after the exam, applicants cannot share or write down questions. The exam is administered online with automated proctoring. Permission for automated proctoring (including facial, screen, and audio capture recordings) is required during the entirety of the exam. The exam should be taken in a quiet room with no distractions. Papers, books, and notes are not allowed in the testing area. If these instructions are printed, please hold them to the screen (visible to the web camera) when in use. Otherwise, please remove them from the testing area once the examination has begun. No assistance of any kind may be given to or used by the examinee. Cheating can include speaking to another during the testing process, reading papers/notes/books, looking at another screen, stopping sharing, or leaving the testing screen while taking the test, or leaving the testing area while taking the test. The use of headphones, headsets, earpieces, and/or earbuds is prohibited. Use of more than one computer monitor is prohibited. The use of cell phones is prohibited other than for proctoring purposes (i.e., scanning the QR code and setting up the camera) and calling ACBIS staff to troubleshoot technical issues.