Deferrals: Individuals may request a deferral after their application is processed but before the Deferral deadline. Requests for deferral received after the Deferral deadline will not be entertained (see Fee and Deadlines). The application fee will not be refunded and cannot be used towards a subsequent application. A deferral does not count as an examination attempt. A deferral does not extend the Candidate Board Eligibility beyond the 5 years described in the Board Eligibility section.
Failure to Attend: Individuals who do not attend the examination and fail to notify the CBGC will lose one exam attempt and all of their fees.
Medical Emergency: If a medical emergency prevents an individual from writing the exam, an additional exam attempt and partial refund of fees may be considered. The emergency must be substantiated by a physician’s note (with clearly written name, address and credentials).
Cancellation/Withdrawal: An application cannot be cancelled or withdrawn. Please refer to definitions of Deferrals and Failure to Attend
Incomplete Applications: If an application is incomplete, candidates have until two weeks after the application deadline to complete their paperwork. Applications that are not complete two weeks after the application deadline will be considered a Deferral. Please refer to the Deferral section for details related to eligibility and fees.
If a ‘Confirmation of eligibility to graduate’ letter is submitted for credential review, successful candidates must submit their transcripts before using the designation Canadian Certified Genetic Counsellor and receiving their certificate. This would not be considered an incomplete application.
A person with a disability may request special accommodations and arrangements to take the examination on the national testing date. Candidates wishing to make such a request are asked to submit a letter along with medical documentation outlining the reason for the special accommodations and the recommended arrangements. This documentation should be sent with their completed application by the application deadline. We will do our best to support any requests for special accommodations after the application deadline.
Each examination is thoroughly reviewed before the examination date to ensure that all questions relate directly to the Knowledge-Based Competencies and are relevant for Canadian Genetic Counsellors. After the examination, the performance of each question is reviewed and poorly performing questions are removed from the examination, if necessary. Therefore, no appeals will be entertained based on the content or passing score of the examination.
Professional proctors are present at every examination site to address technical problems or other disruptions. All such technical problems or disruptions are reported to the CBGC immediately after the examination. Accommodations to mitigate the impact of such disruptions are made, either by the proctor at the time of the examination, or by the CBGC at the time of the examination scoring. Therefore, no appeals will be entertained based on technical problems or other examination site disruptions.
If a Candidate has a reason for appeal other than the ones listed above, they may submit an appeal. Appeals must be lodged, in writing, to the Administrative Office of the CBGC within 3 months from the date of the examination. The CBGC will review each appeal and provide a written response within 3 months of receipt. There is a $75 fee for all appeals. Additional expenses incurred as a result of the appeal will be the sole responsibility of the candidate, including any legal fees. The CBGC will not discuss, by email or phone, appeals or possible grounds for appeals with a Candidate unless a formal appeal has been lodged.
Please click on the Certification tab or the Recertification tab for updates regarding exam dates. For quick links, please see below.
