Epic Skills Assessment — Questions and Answers

Question 1: A passage states: 'Despite high test specificity, the predictive value of a positive result is low in low-prevalence populations.' What is the main point?

Test results should always be ignored in rare disease populations
High specificity means the test is very accurate
In populations where the disease is rare, even a specific test produces many false positives (Correct answer)
The test is unreliable in all populations

Correct answer: In populations where the disease is rare, even a specific test produces many false positives

In low-prevalence populations, the positive predictive value (PPV) is low even with high specificity because the number of false positives can exceed true positives. This is the core message.

Question 2: An XY chart shows two variables with r = -0.87. What does this correlation coefficient indicate?

Strong positive correlation
No correlation
Weak negative correlation
Strong negative correlation (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Strong negative correlation

r = -0.87 indicates a strong negative correlation: as one variable increases, the other tends to decrease significantly.

Question 3: What does the Epic term 'BCA' stand for in the context of software development workflows?

Binary Code Assembly
Business Continuity Application
Build, Configure, Activate (Correct answer)
Baseline Clinical Architecture

Correct answer: Build, Configure, Activate

BCA stands for Build, Configure, Activate, which describes the standard workflow for implementing Epic features in a customer environment.

Question 4: A department's monthly supply budget is $48,000. If spending in the first two weeks was $13,200 and $15,800, what percentage of the budget remains for the rest of the month?

35.4%
42.5%
39.6% (Correct answer)
44.8%

Correct answer: 39.6%

Total spent is $29,000, leaving $19,000, and $19,000/$48,000 ≈ 39.6%.

Question 5: Which Epic tool allows schedulers to view all open appointment slots across multiple providers in one view?

Find Appointment
Schedule Viewer
Appointment Desk (Correct answer)
My Schedule

Correct answer: Appointment Desk

Appointment Desk provides a consolidated view of available slots across multiple providers, facilitating efficient scheduling.

Question 6: An employee receives an email that appears to be from IT, asking them to confirm their Epic password via a link. What should they do?

Reply with the password since the sender looks internal
Forward it to coworkers to ask if they received it too
Not click the link and report the email to the IT security team (Correct answer)
Click the link but only enter the username

Correct answer: Not click the link and report the email to the IT security team

This is a phishing attempt, and legitimate IT departments never ask for passwords by email, so it should be reported.

Question 7: Which word is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to 'ambiguous'?

Explicit (Correct answer)
Vague
Unclear
Uncertain

Correct answer: Explicit

'Ambiguous' means open to more than one interpretation; 'explicit' means clear and precise, making it the antonym.

Question 8: What is the primary function of Epic's 'Workqueue' feature?

Store pending orders awaiting physician signature
Queue overnight batch jobs for server processing
Manage print jobs sent to hospital printers
Present staff with a list of tasks requiring action or follow-up (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Present staff with a list of tasks requiring action or follow-up

Workqueues present staff with actionable work items — such as coding edits, billing holds, or registration errors — that need to be resolved.

Question 9: Which sentence contains a logical non sequitur?

The patient has a fever, so an infection is likely.
The patient's symptoms improved after treatment.
The lab values are elevated, suggesting kidney dysfunction.
The MRI showed no abnormalities, so the patient is healthy. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The MRI showed no abnormalities, so the patient is healthy.

A normal MRI does not mean a patient is healthy — many conditions don't appear on MRI. This conclusion doesn't logically follow from the premise.

Question 10: Kopi Luwak, often known as civet coffee, is an expensive brand of coffee available today. It originates in Indonesia. The fact that this particular kind of coffee is created using the same coffee beans that Asian palm civets consume makes it special. The civet also eats the indigestible coffee bean inside the coffee berry for its mushy pulp. However, proteolytic enzymes penetrate the bean as it travels through the civet's digestive system, shortening peptides and boosting the amount of free amino acids, enhancing the coffee bean's flavor. Similarly, Kopi Luwak can be sold for up to $3,000 per kilogram due to the costly and time-consuming procedure of looking for civet droppings.

Removes coffee bean peptides
Increases number of coffee bean peptides
Shortens coffee bean peptides (Correct answer)
Lengthens coffee bean peptides

Correct answer: Shortens coffee bean peptides

The passage explicitly states that as the coffee bean passes through the civet's digestive system, 'proteolytic enzymes penetrate the bean... shortening peptides and boosting the amount of free amino acids.' This directly answers how the civet's digestive process affects the coffee bean's peptides, leading to enhanced flavor.

Question 11: A laboratory technician needs to dilute a 500 mL solution that is 40% concentration to a 16% concentration. How much diluent must be added?

850 mL
1,000 mL
750 mL (Correct answer)
625 mL

Correct answer: 750 mL

Using C1V1 = C2V2: 0.40 × 500 = 0.16 × V2, so V2 = 1,250 mL, meaning 750 mL of diluent must be added.

Question 12: When a provider uses the 'Modify' option on an existing medication order in Epic, what happens to the original order?

It is deleted from the record
It is sent to pending status
It is discontinued and replaced by the modified order (Correct answer)
It remains active alongside the new order

Correct answer: It is discontinued and replaced by the modified order

Modifying an order discontinues the original and creates a new order reflecting the updated parameters, maintaining an audit trail.

Question 13: In clinical informatics, what does 'interoperability' mean for health information exchange?

The ability of different healthcare systems and EHRs to exchange and use patient data seamlessly (Correct answer)
The process of migrating data between EHR versions
The ability of a single EHR to handle multiple facility types
The security level of data encryption in the EHR

Correct answer: The ability of different healthcare systems and EHRs to exchange and use patient data seamlessly

Interoperability enables different health IT systems to exchange, interpret, and use clinical data without special effort. Standards like HL7 FHIR and CDA enable structured data sharing between hospitals, clinics, labs, and payers.

Question 14: Select the sentence that is grammatically correct and logically clear:

The physician, along with her residents, were reviewing the discharge summary.
Each of the providers are required to complete annual Epic certification.
Before placing the order, the nurse verified the patient's allergies in the chart. (Correct answer)
Between you and I, the workflow needs to be revised immediately.

Correct answer: Before placing the order, the nurse verified the patient's allergies in the chart.

Option C is grammatically correct: the participial phrase 'Before placing the order' correctly modifies 'the nurse,' and the sentence is logically clear. Option A has faulty subject-verb agreement, Option B uses 'are' with the singular subject 'each,' and Option D incorrectly uses 'I' instead of 'me' after the preposition 'between.'

Question 15: A physician attempts to prescribe a medication to a patient but receives a 'Drug-Allergy Interaction' alert in Epic CPOE. What is the correct action?

Override the alert without review
Ignore the alert and complete the order
Contact IT to disable the alert
Review the alert, document clinical justification if overriding, or choose an alternative medication (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Review the alert, document clinical justification if overriding, or choose an alternative medication

BestPractice Advisories (BPAs) require clinical evaluation. The provider should review, document justification if overriding, or select an alternative to ensure patient safety.

Question 16: A developer needs to expose Epic clinical data to a third-party application. Which modern standard should they prioritize for this integration?

SOAP-based web services using Epic's WSD layer
HL7 v2 ADT messaging over MLLP
Direct SQL queries against the Clarity database
FHIR R4 APIs via Epic's App Orchard platform (Correct answer)

Correct answer: FHIR R4 APIs via Epic's App Orchard platform

FHIR R4 APIs available through Epic's App Orchard are the modern, preferred standard for exposing Epic clinical data to third-party applications.

Question 17: Problem-solving: A clinic has 3 exam rooms, each serving 4 patients/hour. If the clinic is open 8 hours/day, 5 days/week, how many patients can be seen per week?

400
360
240
480 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 480

Patients/hour = 3×4=12. Per day = 12×8=96. Per week = 96×5=480.

Question 18: What is a 'specialty-specific scheduling rule,' and why do different specialties require different scheduling configurations?

Rules that restrict which insurance plans can be seen by certain specialties
Requirements for specialist board certification before scheduling
Custom scheduling constraints for specific specialties based on visit complexity, equipment needs, staffing patterns, and regulatory requirements (Correct answer)
Rules that prevent general physicians from scheduling specialty procedures

Correct answer: Custom scheduling constraints for specific specialties based on visit complexity, equipment needs, staffing patterns, and regulatory requirements

Different specialties have fundamentally different scheduling needs: cardiology needs echo/stress test rooms, OB-GYN needs ultrasound equipment, infusion center needs chair availability, orthopedics needs X-ray access. Specialty scheduling rules embed these requirements into the template.

Question 19: Start with x = 1. Repeat 4 times: x = x * 2 + 1. What is the final value of x?

16
15
31 (Correct answer)
63

Correct answer: 31

The values go 1 → 3 → 7 → 15 → 31.

Question 20: Which HIPAA rule specifically governs the security of electronic protected health information (ePHI)?

The Security Rule (Correct answer)
The Privacy Rule
The Breach Notification Rule
The Enforcement Rule

Correct answer: The Security Rule

The HIPAA Security Rule establishes national standards to protect ePHI that is created, received, used, or maintained by covered entities.

Question 21: Select the correctly punctuated sentence:

The doctor reviewed the chart, and she updated the care plan. (Correct answer)
The doctor reviewed the chart and, she updated the care plan.
The doctor, reviewed the chart and she updated the care plan.
The doctor reviewed the chart and she, updated the care plan.

Correct answer: The doctor reviewed the chart, and she updated the care plan.

A comma before a coordinating conjunction (and) is correct when joining two independent clauses.

Question 22: Which number is out of place in the series: 4, 8, 16, 32, 60, 128?

16
128
60 (Correct answer)
32

Correct answer: 60

Each number doubles the previous one; 60 should be 64 (32 × 2).

Question 23: In the sequence 3, 9, 27, 81, what is the next number?

324
162
108
243 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 243

Each number is multiplied by 3, so 81 × 3 = 243.

Question 24: Complete the analogy: Flowsheet is to Vital Signs as Orders is to __________.

Medication Prescriptions (Correct answer)
Lab Results
Clinical Notes
Patient History

Correct answer: Medication Prescriptions

The analogy relates an Epic application or module to the specific type of data it is primarily designed to handle. A Flowsheet is used to document and track a patient's vital signs over time. Similarly, the Orders module is used to create and manage directives for patient care, a primary example of which is medication prescriptions. [18, 24, 26]

Question 25: When reviewing a trend graph in Epic for a patient's hemoglobin levels over 7 days, which feature allows you to compare it side-by-side with another lab value?

Multi-parameter overlay (Correct answer)
Snapshot view
Chart review filter
Synopsis tab

Correct answer: Multi-parameter overlay

The multi-parameter overlay feature in Epic allows clinicians to plot multiple lab values on the same trend graph for comparison.

Question 26: Deductive reasoning: All Epic users have a unique user ID. Dr. Chen is an Epic user. What can we definitively conclude?

Dr. Chen may not have a user ID
Dr. Chen's user ID is the same as other doctors'
Dr. Chen has a unique user ID (Correct answer)
Only administrators have unique IDs

Correct answer: Dr. Chen has a unique user ID

Universal premise (all Epic users have unique IDs) + particular premise (Dr. Chen is an Epic user) → definitive conclusion (Dr. Chen has a unique user ID). This is a valid syllogism.

Question 27: Which rule describes the set {4, 8, 12, 16, 20} but NOT {6, 10, 14}?

Divisible by 2
Numbers greater than 3
Multiples of 4 (Correct answer)
Even numbers

Correct answer: Multiples of 4

Every number in the first set is a multiple of 4, while 6, 10, and 14 are not multiples of 4.

Question 28: Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'The nurse's calm demeanor helped to _____ the anxious patient.'

Reassure (Correct answer)
Agitate
Exhaust
Confuse

Correct answer: Reassure

A calm demeanor logically helps to reassure an anxious patient, reducing their anxiety.

Question 29: In Epic, 'Coverage Discovery' is primarily used to:

Calculate patient copays at check-in
Generate prior authorization requests
Search for unknown or unreported patient insurance coverage (Correct answer)
Identify patient diagnoses automatically

Correct answer: Search for unknown or unreported patient insurance coverage

Coverage Discovery queries external databases to find active insurance plans a patient may not have reported.

Question 30: Identify the main purpose of a topic sentence in a paragraph:

To provide supporting evidence for a claim
To introduce the central idea of the paragraph (Correct answer)
To transition to the next paragraph
To summarize the entire document

Correct answer: To introduce the central idea of the paragraph

A topic sentence states the main idea of its paragraph, orienting the reader before supporting details follow.

Question 31: A clock face shows 3:00. After the minute hand rotates 270°, what time does it show?

12:00
3:45 (Correct answer)
9:00
6:00

Correct answer: 3:45

The minute hand starts at 12; rotating 270° clockwise moves it to the 9, making the time 3:45.

Question 32: A bar chart in an Epic report shows monthly patient encounter volumes. March has 1,200 encounters and April has 900. What is the approximate percentage decrease from March to April?

25% (Correct answer)
20%
15%
30%

Correct answer: 25%

The decrease is 300 out of 1,200, which equals 25%.

Question 33: A nurse documents a medication as administered but the patient later reports not receiving it. What Epic tool helps investigate this discrepancy?

eMAR audit trail (Correct answer)
MyChart portal
Scheduling module
Revenue cycle dashboard

Correct answer: eMAR audit trail

The eMAR (electronic Medication Administration Record) audit trail records every documentation action including who charted, when, from which workstation, and any edits or corrections.

Question 34: If a patient's lab value is 2 standard deviations above the mean of a normal distribution, approximately what percentile does this represent?

95th
99th
97.5th (Correct answer)
84th

Correct answer: 97.5th

In a normal distribution, 2 standard deviations above the mean corresponds to approximately the 97.5th percentile (2.5% of values are above).

Question 35: FictoScript's `record` type differs from a plain `map` type in that a record:

Is mutable while map is immutable
Can only store numeric values
Has fixed, named fields with defined types, while map allows arbitrary keys (Correct answer)
Is ordered by insertion order while map is unordered

Correct answer: Has fixed, named fields with defined types, while map allows arbitrary keys

A `record` has a fixed schema with typed fields, providing structure guarantees that a `map` does not.

Question 36: Read the argument: 'All successful students study daily. Maria is successful. Therefore, Maria studies daily.' What type of reasoning is this?

Deductive reasoning (Correct answer)
Analogical reasoning
Abductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning

Correct answer: Deductive reasoning

This is deductive reasoning — a specific conclusion is drawn logically from general premises.

Question 37: Which of the following is most logically analogous to 'thermometer : temperature'?

oven : heat
compass : direction
scale : weight (Correct answer)
clock : time

Correct answer: scale : weight

A thermometer measures temperature just as a scale measures weight — both are instruments that quantify a specific property.

Question 38: A care coordinator sees that a patient's discharge instructions were printed but not documented as given in the After Visit Summary (AVS). What is the risk?

Risk of readmission due to patient not understanding discharge plan (Correct answer)
No risk — printing is sufficient
Risk of duplicate chart entries
Risk of billing errors only

Correct answer: Risk of readmission due to patient not understanding discharge plan

If patient education isn't documented in Epic, there's no verified record that the patient received and understood their discharge instructions — a key factor in preventable readmissions.

Question 39: A table shows medication error rates by shift: Day 0.5%, Evening 0.8%, Night 1.2%. Which shift has the highest error rate and by how much more than the Day shift?

Night; 0.7% (Correct answer)
Night; 0.4%
Night; 1.2%
Evening; 0.3%

Correct answer: Night; 0.7%

Night has the highest rate (1.2%). Difference from Day: 1.2% - 0.5% = 0.7%.

Question 40: In FictoScript, what is the result of applying `map(fn(x) => x * x, [1, 2, 3, 4])`?

30 (sum of squares)
[2, 4, 6, 8]
[1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 4, 9, 16]
[1, 4, 9, 16] (Correct answer)

Correct answer: [1, 4, 9, 16]

`map` applies the squaring function to each element, producing a new list of squared values.

Question 41: A nurse notices that a patient's medication list in Epic shows a duplicate order for the same antibiotic. What is the most appropriate first step?

Verify with the prescribing provider before administering (Correct answer)
Delete the duplicate order from the system
Discontinue both orders and reorder
Administer both doses as ordered

Correct answer: Verify with the prescribing provider before administering

Duplicate medication orders require provider verification before any action to ensure patient safety and accurate documentation.

Question 42: If a car's value depreciates by 15% each year and it was worth $20,000 new, what is its approximate value after 2 years?

$15,000
$17,000
$14,000
$14,450 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $14,450

Year 1: $20,000×0.85=$17,000; Year 2: $17,000×0.85=$14,450.

Question 43: What does 'results routing' refer to in an EHR's laboratory workflow?

The process of transmitting results to the patient portal only
The physical transport route for lab specimens from floor to laboratory
The configuration determining which provider's inbox receives which results based on ordering provider, patient assignment, department, and result criticality (Correct answer)
The network pathway for transmitting result data between systems

Correct answer: The configuration determining which provider's inbox receives which results based on ordering provider, patient assignment, department, and result criticality

Results routing rules determine who receives lab, radiology, and other results in their EHR inbox. Routing considers: ordering provider, covering provider, care team role, and result criticality. Critical values are routed urgently to the responsible provider.

Question 44: Which of the following is a key characteristic of Epic's 'Chronicles' database?

It is a proprietary hierarchical database that stores all Epic application data (Correct answer)
It is a standard relational SQL database like PostgreSQL
It is a flat-file archive for legacy patient records
It is a NoSQL document store based on MongoDB

Correct answer: It is a proprietary hierarchical database that stores all Epic application data

Chronicles is Epic's proprietary hierarchical database that stores all operational application data, distinct from standard relational databases.

Question 45: Which number completes the pattern: 3, 9, 27, 81, ___?

324
162
189
243 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 243

Each number is multiplied by 3, so 81 × 3 = 243.

Question 46: A sequence shows: circle, circle, triangle, circle, circle, triangle, circle, circle, ___. What comes next?

Square
Pentagon
Triangle (Correct answer)
Circle

Correct answer: Triangle

The pattern repeats every three elements as circle-circle-triangle, so the ninth element is a triangle.

Question 47: FictoScript's `unless` keyword is best described as:

A loop that runs until a condition becomes true
A post-condition assertion
A try-catch alternative
An inverted conditional that executes when the condition is false (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An inverted conditional that executes when the condition is false

`unless condition` executes its block only when the condition evaluates to false, opposite of `when`.

Question 48: What does it mean for an algorithm to be 'in-place'?

It never modifies the input
It always produces a stable sort
It runs in constant time
It uses O(1) extra memory beyond the input (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It uses O(1) extra memory beyond the input

An in-place algorithm requires only a constant amount of auxiliary space regardless of input size.

Question 49: Given f(n): if n <= 1 return n; else return f(n-1) + f(n-2). What is f(6)?

13
6
8 (Correct answer)
5

Correct answer: 8

This is the Fibonacci sequence: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, so f(6) = 8.

Question 50: Relationship: Virus is to Antivirus as Fire is to ____.

Water
Extinguisher (Correct answer)
Heat
Smoke

Correct answer: Extinguisher

Antivirus combats Virus; Fire Extinguisher combats Fire. The relationship is threat-to-countermeasure.

Epic Skills Assessment

The Epic Skills Assessment exam validates essential knowledge and skills required for certification or licensure in this field.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds

These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy

Sources & references

Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy

careers.epic.com — Exam format · verified Oct 2026