100+ Free CAQ-OccMed Practice Questions

Pass your NCCPA CAQ Occupational Medicine exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

100+ Questions

100% Free

1 / 100

Question 1

Score: 0/0

A worker reaches MMI for a low-back injury and undergoes impairment rating using the AMA Guides 6th Edition. The impairment rating represents:

An anatomic/functional loss expressed as a percentage of whole-person impairment

A disability award

A diagnosis

Loss of earning capacity

to track

Same family resources

More NCCPA Physician Assistant Exams Prep

Continue through related practice pages, study guides, comparisons, and articles from the same exam family.

Practice Pages

NCCPA PANCE Physician Assistant Practice200 questions NCCPA PANRE Physician Assistant Recertifying Exam Practice200 questions NCCPA CAQ Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Practice100 questions NCCPA CAQ Dermatology Practice100 questions NCCPA CAQ Emergency Medicine Practice100 questions NCCPA CAQ Hospital Medicine Practice100 questions

FREE NCCPA PANRE Guide 2026: Pass Recertification on First Try15 min read PANCE Exam Guide 2026: Study by the 2025 NCCPA Blueprint9 min read

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CAQ-OccMed Exam

120

Total Items

NCCPA CAQ

3 hrs

Exam Time

NCCPA

$350

Exam Fee

NCCPA

3,000 hrs

Practice Required

Prior 6 yrs occ med-PA

NCCPA CAQ-OccMed is the PA subspecialty credential for occupational medicine. 120 items, 3 hours, $350. Eligibility: 3,000 hours occ med practice + 150 occ med CME. Master OSHA recordkeeping (300/300A), DOT fitness-for-duty, hierarchy of controls (elimination → admin → PPE), DOT 5-panel drug testing, and MMI/impairment rating.

Sample CAQ-OccMed Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CAQ-OccMed exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 42-year-old warehouse worker sustained a low back strain lifting a 60-lb box. After 6 weeks of conservative care he reports residual pain but no neurologic deficit and tolerates light duty. The treating PA documents that no further objective improvement is anticipated. Which workers' compensation determination best applies?

A.Temporary total disability (TTD)

B.Maximum medical improvement (MMI)

C.Permanent total disability (PTD)

D.Compensable second injury

Explanation: MMI is declared when a condition has stabilized and no further material recovery is expected with additional treatment. It triggers impairment rating, return-to-work planning, and case settlement.

2Which legal standard is most often applied to determine whether a back injury is compensable under workers' compensation in most U.S. states?

A.Beyond a reasonable doubt

B.Clear and convincing evidence

C.Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not work-related)

D.Strict liability with no causation needed

Explanation: Workers' compensation causation is decided on a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard: the work activity must be a more-likely-than-not contributor to the injury or disease.

3A construction laborer slips off scaffolding, sustains a tibial plateau fracture, and is unable to work at all for 10 weeks while healing. Which wage-replacement category applies during this period?

A.Temporary total disability

B.Temporary partial disability

C.Permanent partial disability

D.Vocational rehabilitation only

Explanation: TTD covers complete inability to work during a temporary recovery period. Once partial work is possible at reduced wages, the worker shifts to TPD; permanent categories apply only after MMI.

4Workers' compensation in the United States is primarily administered by which entity?

A.OSHA

B.CMS

C.Individual state agencies

D.The U.S. Department of Labor exclusively

Explanation: With the exception of federal employees (FECA) and a few specialty programs (Longshore, FELA, Black Lung), workers' compensation is a state-based system. Statutes, fee schedules, and benefit caps vary by state.

5A 55-year-old machinist with a long-standing degenerative meniscal tear twists his knee at work and experiences acute locking. Imaging shows progression of his prior tear. Which causation analysis is most consistent with workers' compensation principles?

A.Not compensable because of pre-existing degeneration

B.Compensable as an aggravation of a pre-existing condition

C.Compensable only if the degeneration is reversed

D.Apportioned 100% to non-occupational causes

Explanation: Most state workers' compensation systems compensate aggravations of pre-existing conditions when a work event measurably worsens the underlying problem; apportionment may reduce but not eliminate the award.

6Which red-flag finding in acute occupational low back pain most warrants urgent imaging rather than conservative management?

A.Pain worse with prolonged sitting

B.Saddle anesthesia and new urinary retention

C.Tenderness over the paraspinal muscles

D.Symmetric stiffness in the morning

Explanation: Saddle anesthesia plus bladder dysfunction suggests cauda equina syndrome — a surgical emergency. The remaining findings are typical of mechanical low back pain that responds to conservative care.

7Evidence-based occupational guidelines for acute mechanical low back pain without red flags recommend which initial approach?

A.Strict bed rest for 7–10 days

B.Early MRI to identify disc pathology

C.Stay active, NSAIDs, and rapid return to modified duty

D.Routine opioid prescription for the first month

Explanation: ACOEM and similar guidelines recommend continued activity, NSAIDs/acetaminophen, education, and modified-duty return as soon as tolerated. Bed rest, early imaging, and routine opioids worsen disability outcomes.

8A data-entry clerk reports nocturnal hand paresthesias in the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Tapping over the volar wrist reproduces tingling. Which test was performed and what does it suggest?

A.Phalen test, suggesting cubital tunnel

B.Tinel sign, suggesting carpal tunnel syndrome

C.Finkelstein test, suggesting de Quervain tenosynovitis

D.Spurling test, suggesting C6 radiculopathy

Explanation: Tapping the median nerve at the wrist that reproduces paresthesias in the median distribution is a positive Tinel sign and supports carpal tunnel syndrome.

9Which study is the gold standard for confirming carpal tunnel syndrome and assessing severity before surgical release?

A.MRI of the wrist

B.Plain wrist radiographs

C.Electromyography with nerve conduction studies

D.Bone scan of the hand

Explanation: EMG/NCS quantifies median nerve slowing across the carpal tunnel, distinguishes CTS from proximal neuropathies, and grades severity to guide management.

10For a worker with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome attributed to keyboarding, which initial intervention is most appropriate?

A.Immediate carpal tunnel release

B.Nighttime neutral wrist splinting plus ergonomic redesign of the workstation

C.Long-arm casting for 6 weeks

D.Permanent removal from all computer work

Explanation: Conservative care — neutral splints, NSAIDs, ergonomic redesign, and possibly a corticosteroid injection — is first-line for mild-to-moderate CTS. Surgery is reserved for refractory cases or severe NCS findings.

About the CAQ-OccMed Exam

NCCPA Certificate of Added Qualifications in Occupational Medicine — for PAs in occupational/employee health practice. Covers occupational diseases (asthma, asbestosis, silicosis, NIHL), toxicology and exposures (heavy metals, solvents, pesticides), industrial hygiene (PELs/RELs/TLVs, hierarchy of controls, PPE), fitness-for-duty exams (DOT, OSHA), drug/alcohol testing (DOT 49 CFR Part 40), workplace injuries and workers comp (MMI, impairment rating), travel medicine, public health, OSHA records (300/300A/301), and disability/RTW programs.

Questions

120 scored questions

Time Limit

3 hours

Passing Score

Scaled (NCCPA-set)

Exam Fee

$350 (NCCPA)

CAQ-OccMed Exam Content Outline

22%

Occupational Diseases

Occupational asthma, asbestosis, silicosis, NIHL, hand-arm vibration, dermatitis, COPD

14%

Toxicology & Exposures

Heavy metals (Pb, Hg, As, Cd), solvents, pesticides, CO, isocyanates, biomonitoring

13%

Industrial Hygiene

OSHA PELs, NIOSH RELs, ACGIH TLVs, hierarchy of controls, PPE, HCS/SDS

11%

Fitness for Duty

DOT FMCSA, FAA, OSHA respiratory clearance, return-to-work, ADA accommodations

10%

Drug / Alcohol Testing

DOT 49 CFR Part 40, 5-panel screen, MRO review, chain of custody, SAP referral

Workplace Injuries / WC

Compensable injury, MMI, impairment rating (AMA Guides 6th), light duty, RTW

Travel Medicine

Vaccines (yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis), malaria prophylaxis, travelers diarrhea

Public Health

OSHA reporting (within 8h fatality, 24h hospitalization), pandemic preparedness, BBP

OSHA Records

Form 300 (log), 300A (annual summary), 301 (incident report), 5-year retention

Disability / RTW

FMLA, ADA accommodations, short/long-term disability, FCE, restricted vs full duty

How to Pass the CAQ-OccMed Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Scaled (NCCPA-set)
Exam length: 120 questions
Time limit: 3 hours
Exam fee: $350

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CAQ-OccMed Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master OSHA recordable vs reportable distinctions and Form 300/300A/301 retention rules (5 years)

2Memorize the hierarchy of controls: Elimination → Substitution → Engineering → Administrative → PPE (last resort)

3Drill DOT 5-panel drug testing components, MRO review, and SAP referral for return-to-duty

4Know FMCSA driver fitness criteria (BP <140/90 for 2-year cert; insulin-treated DM and seizure waivers)

5Apply AMA Guides 6th edition for impairment rating and MMI determination in workers comp cases

Frequently Asked Questions

What is OSHA recordable injury vs reportable?

Recordable (Form 300): work-related injury/illness causing death, days away from work, restricted work or transfer, medical treatment beyond first aid, loss of consciousness, or significant diagnosis. Reportable (call OSHA): work-related fatality within 8 hours; in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or eye loss within 24 hours. Form 300A summary posted Feb 1-Apr 30 each year. Records kept 5 years.

What is in the DOT 5-panel drug test?

DOT 49 CFR Part 40 5-panel: marijuana metabolites (THC), cocaine metabolites, opioids (codeine, morphine, heroin metabolite 6-AM, plus oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone since 2018), amphetamines (incl. MDMA), and PCP. Specimen validity testing required. Medical Review Officer (MRO) reviews positive results, considers prescriptions, and reports verified result to employer.

What is MMI in workers compensation?

Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) is the point at which a work-related condition is unlikely to materially improve with further treatment (typical or maximum medical recovery). MMI triggers permanent impairment rating (AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, 6th edition is widely used; some states still on 4th/5th), return-to-work planning, and case settlement. MMI is not the same as full recovery.

How should I study for CAQ-OccMed?

Plan 80-120 hours over 10-14 weeks. Work the NCCPA CAQ Occupational Medicine content blueprint, drill weighted-domain practice questions, complete required Category 1 CME, and submit experience requirements (typically ≥3,000 hours specialty practice in the prior 6 years and ≥150 specialty CME) before sitting the exam.