Examination Conduct

CONDUCT AND MISCONDUCT

Rules for the Examination 

• Candidates must be present in the waiting room at least 15 minutes before the commencement time for the Written and Clinical Examinations.
• Admission to the examination room will be at the discretion of the marshalling examiner(s).
• Candidates will not be admitted into the examination room after the scheduled time for the examination.
• Candidates will not be re-admitted into the examination room after they have left unless they are monitored by an examination supervisor during the whole period of their absence from the examination room.
• Candidates must present their proof of identify to the Examination Administration staff at the registration counter.
• Candidates must not bring any writing paper, notes, books, bags, radio, camera, CD or audio cassette recorders, computers, any electronic or recording equipment into the examination room.
• Candidates must leave ALL pagers and mobile phones under the care of the Examination invigilators and turn off ALL beeping devices once they enter the examination venue.
• Candidates are advised to have another doctor taking their telephone calls for patient care during the Examination. They are normally not allowed to take or make telephone calls during the Examination, unless permission is given by the Chief Examiner or his/her designate and only for dire emergencies. Any such calls must be monitored by the Chief Examiner or his/her designate.
• Candidates may bring pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, wallets and small handbags into the examination room. For the Clinical Examination, candidates may bring their physical examination equipment into the examination room. Examination supervisors may inspect anything that a candidate brings into the examination room.
• Simple calculator, PDA & mini computers are not allowed.
• HKIMM accepts no responsibility for the loss of candidates' personal property in or around the examination room.
• Candidates must obey any instruction given by an examination supervisor.
• Candidates must obey any instruction set out on the cover of any examination paper or answer book.
• For Written examination, candidates must write in black or blue ink or ball pen.
• Candidates must leave all examination papers, questions books, answer books and any paper on which the candidate has written notes in the examination room after completing the examination.
• For the Clinical Examination, all cases will be conducted in English except for a number of stations in which the patient interview portion will be conducted in Cantonese.  Candidates having difficulty in communication in Cantonese can apply for English-only stations.
• Candidates must not eat or drink in any examination room. They may only do so in designated areas.
• Smoking is prohibited in all the examination venues.

Conduct of the Candidates during the Examination

• Candidates must not communicate with or provide assistance to any other candidate on examination materials during the examination.
• Candidates must not look at another candidate's examination paper for any purpose.
• Candidates must not accept assistance on examination materials from any other candidate or persons during the examination.
• Candidates must not permit any other candidate to read or copy from his or her examination papers and answer books.
• Candidates must not disturb any other candidate during the examination.
• For Clinical Examination, candidates must not discuss or communicate in anyway, any case used in the examination with any other candidate or person until the entire examination is over.
• Candidates must comply with the instructions of the Clinical Examination invigilators and the bell signal for movements into and out of examination rooms.
• Candidate must not take away any instruction papers or case notes from the Clinical Examination rooms.
• Your attention is drawn to the fact that in signing your application to sit the Fellowship Examination you agree to be bound by the terms of the examination rules and regulations, including those set out in this section.

Penalties for Misconduct during Examination

• During an examination, if an examiner has reason to believe that a candidate is in breach of Examination Conduct, the Examiner will:
  • immediately warn the candidate; AND
  • confiscate any material that the candidate brings into the examination room in breach of the Examination Conduct. 
• The Examination Supervisor may remove the candidate from the examination room if the candidate continues to disrupt the Examination Conduct.
• Promptly after the Examination, the Examination Supervisor or examiner will report the matter to the Chairman of Board of Examination, who will decide if the misconduct is severe enough to call a meeting of the Special Committee.
• The Special Committee may, in its absolute discretion,
  • decide not to take any action in relation to the alleged offending conduct;
  • request explanation, comments and/or further information in writing or in person by the Candidate;
  • impose penalties on the Candidate.
• The penalties that the Special Committee may recommend to the Board of Examination to impose on a candidate include, without limitation:
  • no penalty;
  • a downward revision of the candidate's mark in the examination;
  • awarding the candidate a zero mark for that segment or the whole Examination;
  • expulsion from the examination process; for a certain period as decided by the Board;
  • inform the Council of HKIMM for further disciplinary actions.
• The HKIMM council will, within a reasonable period, give the candidate a written notice of the decision by the Special Committee concerning the alleged offending conduct, with reasons for imposing the penalty. The candidate may, within 14 days of the issue of the notice, appeal in writing to the HKIMM council against the decision or the penalty. The appeal should be supported with relevant information or evidence. A duplicate of the appeal in writing must be sent to the President of the Institute who in his or her absolute discretion decides whether to hold further discussion of the alleged misconduct in the Council of HKIMM.