PESA - Practice Exam

What is the PESA?

The Midwifery Pre Exam Self Assessment (PESA) is a set of sample exam questions that form a short self-administered online test. All questions are in the style of the questions found on the Canadian Midwifery Registration Examination (CMRE). Some of the questions have been used in previous versions of the CMRE. Like the CMRE, the PESA is available in English and in French.

The PESA allows users to get some direct experience with questions that mimic the format, style, language level, and difficulty level of questions on the CMRE. The specific set of questions has been chosen to also demonstrate the range of content and types of questions found on the CMRE. Finally, by taking the time-limited PESA Version A, users can also experience the approximate pace of the CMRE.

Important Note: The PESA is NOT a comprehensive study tool and it is NOT intended to replace other study techniques (e.g. reading relevant texts, study groups, etc.)

Is it exactly the same as the CMRE?

Not exactly. Firstly, the PESA is online and the CMRE is only available as a paper-based exam. Second, the PESA contains only about 1/3 of the number of questions. Although some questions were previously used on the CMRE, none will be included in future versions of the CMRE.

However, the PESA does include questions that are similar to those you will find on the CMRE and it is designed to enable candidates to experience the type of entry-level multiple choice questions that are on the CMRE, including the proportion of questions from each competency area and the appropriate balance of different midwifery care scenarios such as hospital/out-of-hospital settings and normal/abnormal situations.

Click here for more detailed information about the PESA’s blueprint.

Who can use the PESA?

The PESA can be used by internationally educated midwives who are participating in a Canadian midwifery bridging program, by senior students of Canadian midwifery education programs, and by individuals who are eligible to take the CMRE.

Access information for the PESA will be distributed to eligible users during April 2009.

If you fall under one of the above categories and have not been given an enrolment key for the PESA by May 2009, enquire with your Canadian midwifery or midwifery bridging education program, or with the Canadian provincial or territorial regulatory organization through which you have arranged to take the CMRE.

All PESA user accounts will be disabled on November 1, 2009. If you still qualify for use of the PESA, your educator or regulatory organization will provide you with a new enrolment key, and you will then have to set up a new PESA user account. Information about your previous use of the PESA will no longer be available.

Getting Started

First, read through the User Guides on Accessing and Navigating in the PESA, then read the related FAQs.

When you are ready to start using the PESA, click on “PESA login page� below, read and agree to the Terms of Use, and then follow the instructions carefully under “Is this your first time here�. You will create a user account –as part of this process, you will receive an automated email. If you don’t receive the email, you will find suggestions in the first section of the PESA FAQs.

            PESA login page