The Certified Medical Electrologist (CME) exam is taken by electrologists who already hold a current Certified Clinical Electrologist (CCE) credential and want to add laser and light-based hair removal. This page lists our free practice sets by topic, three worked questions, a study plan and the exam facts published by the Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 100 multiple-choice questions (about 40% laser, 60% advanced electrology)[1] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Failing candidates get a detailed report to prepare for a retake[1] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Validity | 5 years from original certification[1] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Renewal | Every 5 years: retake the exam or log 7.5 SCMHR-approved CEUs (75 hours)[1] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online exam at Prov testing centers (125+ in the US); written exam for non-US and Spanish-language candidates[1] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Must hold a current Certified Clinical Electrologist (CCE)[2] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 21, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Florida laser/light-based hair removal) | CME is required for Florida electrologists who trained epilator-only and want to do laser hair removal[3] | floridahealth.gov · Oct 23, 2026 |
| Score release | Moments after finishing (online exam)[1] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Registration opens | Year-round; scheduling instructions arrive by email after the application is processed[2] | Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal · Oct 21, 2026 |
According to Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal, “You MUST hold a current Certified Clinical Electrologist (CCE) before applying to take this exam.”[2]
The CME is the Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal credential for electrologists who work with laser and light-based hair removal as well as advanced electrology. It has 100 multiple-choice questions, with about 40% on laser and about 60% on advanced electrology.
You must hold a current Certified Clinical Electrologist (CCE) before you apply. In Florida, the state health department points electrologists who trained epilator-only, and who want to perform laser or light-based hair removal, to the CME. Rules in other states vary, so check with your own licensing board.
The exam is delivered online at Prov testing centers, with more than 125 of them in the United States. Candidates outside the US and Spanish-language candidates sit a written exam. Applications are accepted year-round. After your application is processed, you receive an email with instructions for scheduling. Online candidates see their results moments after finishing.
If you do not pass, you receive a detailed report to help you prepare for another attempt. Certification is valid for 5 years from the original certification date. To renew, you either retake the exam or log 7.5 SCMHR-approved CEUs (75 hours). This page does not list fees or the passing score, because they are not in the sources we checked. Confirm both on the official SCMHR site before you apply.
The content areas below are copied from the official CME content outline published by Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| ASSESSMENT[4] | CME Patient Assessment & Clinical Evaluation Practise reading a client's history, skin and hair characteristics and treatment area, and deciding what those findings mean for the choice of method and for safety. |
| DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A TREATMENT PLAN[4] | CME Client Consultation & Treatment Planning Practise turning assessment findings into a treatment plan, choosing settings and protocols, and documenting and adjusting the plan as the client responds. |
Prepare for the CME - Certified Medical Electrologist exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: The operating frequency used in thermolysis electrolysis equipment is typically in the range of:
Answer: C. 13.56 MHz
Explanation:
The correct answer is 13.56 MHz. Thermolysis devices use high-frequency alternating current in the radio range, and 13.56 MHz sits in an ISM band that is set aside for industrial, scientific and medical equipment. The current heats the tissue around the probe, which is how the follicle is treated.
The 1–10 Hz option is far too slow for radio-frequency heating. The 100–1,000 Hz option is in the audio range, still far below radio frequency. The 2.4 GHz option is a microwave band, which is a different part of the spectrum and is not the band used by thermolysis equipment.
Rule to remember: thermolysis is the radio-frequency, heat-based method, and galvanic electrolysis is the direct-current, chemical method. When a question gives frequencies, match thermolysis to the radio range.
Question: How should equipment cleaning products be selected?
Answer: A. Based on manufacturer recommendations and material compatibility
Explanation:
The correct answer is to select cleaning products based on manufacturer recommendations and material compatibility. Equipment is made of different plastics, metals and finishes, and some chemicals corrode, cloud or crack them. The maker's instructions tell you which products clean and disinfect effectively without damaging the device.
Choosing the least expensive product ignores both compatibility and effectiveness, so it can damage equipment or leave it poorly decontaminated. Using the same product for every equipment type fails because materials differ. Personal preference is not a safety standard and cannot show that a product is suitable or effective.
Rule to remember: for cleaning and disinfecting equipment, follow the manufacturer's instructions for use, then apply your facility's infection control policy. If a question offers cost, habit or preference as the deciding factor, it is usually the wrong choice.
Question: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), electrologists must offer the hepatitis B vaccine to employees at risk of occupational exposure within how many days of initial assignment?
Answer: A. 10 working days
Explanation:
The correct answer is 10 working days. Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), the employer must make the hepatitis B vaccine series available to employees with occupational exposure within 10 working days of their initial assignment to those tasks.
The 30, 60 and 90 calendar day options are all too long. They would leave a new employee working with potential exposure to blood for weeks without the offer of protection. Two of them are also in the wrong unit, since the standard counts working days rather than calendar days.
Rule to remember: the vaccine is offered promptly, near the start of the job, and not left until later. When a question asks about timing under this standard, look for the short window counted in working days.
Start with the official material. Read the SCMHR application and the frequently asked questions so you know the format, the split between laser and advanced electrology, and what the exam body expects. Then take a short set of our practice questions in each topic to find where you are weak, before you study anything in depth.
Use the two official areas, Assessment and Development and Implementation of a Treatment Plan, as the frame for your notes. For each missed question, write down the rule behind the right answer and why the other options fail, rather than memorising the answer letter. Our explanations are written with AI tools and are practice aids, so check anything that affects your practice against your textbooks and your state rules.
Spend the most time on weak topics, and come back to strong ones briefly so they stay fresh. Safety, infection control and equipment questions reward careful reading of the wording. In the final days, switch to mixed sets and read the detailed explanations for every miss. Our questions are original practice items, not real exam questions, so use them to build reasoning and not to predict the test.
You must hold a current Certified Clinical Electrologist (CCE) before applying. The CME then covers laser and light-based hair removal alongside advanced electrology. In Florida, it is the route for electrologists who trained epilator-only and want to perform laser hair removal. Other states vary, so check with your licensing board.
The CME has 100 multiple-choice questions. About 40% cover laser and about 60% cover advanced electrology. The SCMHR sources we checked do not state a time limit or passing score here, so confirm both with the Society for Clinical and Medical Hair Removal before you schedule.
The online exam is given at Prov testing centers, with more than 125 in the United States. Non-US and Spanish-language candidates take a written exam. Applications are accepted year-round, and after your application is processed you receive an email with instructions for scheduling.
Online candidates receive their results moments after finishing the exam. If you do not pass, you receive a detailed report to help you prepare to take the test again. Check the SCMHR for current details on retake timing and any fees, which this page does not list.
Certification expires 5 years after the date of the original certification. To recertify, you either retake the exam or accumulate and register 7.5 SCMHR-approved CEUs, which is 75 hours. Your CCE must be current to apply, so keep track of both credentials.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.