I have the option of taking my (CPE) Certified Physician Executive exam online at home or going to a testing center. Trying to figure out which is better for me.
Arguments for online:
- No commute stress
- Familiar environment
- More flexible scheduling
Arguments for testing center:
- No home distractions
- More controlled environment
- Better equipment potentially
My main concern with the online version is proctoring — I've heard some certification exams have very strict rules about what's allowed in the room. One wrong move and you're flagged.
Has anyone taken CPE both ways? Or specifically the online version? How was the experience? And does the difficulty or question format actually differ based on how you take it?
Also — any issues with the "CPE" type content being harder in one format vs the other?
Went through this exact question when I was prepping. The CPE material on "CPE" is actually not as bad as it looks — once it clicks it clicks.
What helped me was finding one resource that explained it from first principles instead of just giving me the "right answer." Made a huge difference on the scenario-based questions.
Also: don't underestimate the importance of reviewing your wrong answers more than your right ones. I learned more from 20 wrong answers than 200 correct ones.
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