Allied health certifications · timed practice test · free 25-question / 31-minute diagnostic · NBRC
Free NBRC TMC & 2027 RT Exam Readiness Check
Free 25-question diagnostic, then $5 for 5 full attempts · no signup
UniPrep2Go's free NBRC TMC practice test is a 25-question, 31-minute timed diagnostic with a free topic report and answer review — no email, no account. The full mock is 60 questions / 75 minutes on the $5 UniPrep2Go Mock Pass (5 attempts on any mock).
The Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination from the National Board for Respiratory Care has 160 multiple-choice items (140 scored, 20 pretest) in 3 hours. The low cut score earns the CRT credential; the high cut score also makes you eligible for the Clinical Simulation…
Official-source aligned. Topic weights, timing, and pass rules follow published National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) outlines. Questions are original UniPrep2Go study aids — not leaked official items. Verify on the official site ↗
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- Questions
- 25 free · 60 full
- Time
- 31 min free · 75 min full
- UniPrep2Go readiness target
- 70%
- Domains
- 4
- Exam body
- NBRC
- Status
- Live · free 25-question / 31-minute diagnostic
Allied health certifications · NBRC
NBRC TMC practice test
Free 25-question diagnostic · 31 min · full 60Q on Mock Pass
Sample NBRC TMC practice questions
These sample items mirror the domains in the timed NBRC TMC mock. Correct answers and explanations unlock inside the practice session.
Sample 1
A ventilated trauma patient suddenly develops high peak pressures, absent left breath sounds, a trachea shifted to the right, and BP 70/40. What is the immediate treatment?
- A. A chest radiograph to confirm before acting
- B. Higher PEEP to support the blood pressure
- C. A larger tidal volume to re-expand the lung
- D. Needle decompression of the left chest
Sample 2
A volume-controlled patient's PIP rises from 32 to 44 cm H2O while plateau pressure rises from 24 to 36 cm H2O. Which cause fits this pattern?
- A. Right mainstem intubation or a new pneumothorax
- B. Bronchospasm in a patient with a history of asthma
- C. A mucus plug partly blocking the tube
- D. The patient biting down on the tube
Sample 3
A COPD patient on bilevel NIV at IPAP 12 / EPAP 5 cm H2O still has PaCO2 70 mm Hg and pH 7.28 after one hour, with SpO2 91%. What change is most appropriate?
- A. Increase EPAP to 10 cm H2O to splint the airway open
- B. Increase IPAP to widen the pressure support
- C. Increase FiO2 to 0.60
- D. Change to CPAP at 5 cm H2O
Sample 4
A ventilated patient has been lying flat since returning from a CT scan. Which action best reduces the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia?
- A. Change the ventilator circuit every 24 hours
- B. Instill saline before each suction pass
- C. Raise the head of the bed to 30-45 degrees
- D. Deflate the cuff for a minute every 4 hours
Sample 5
A patient with long-standing COPD, at baseline, has pH 7.36, PaCO2 62 mm Hg, HCO3- 34 mEq/L, and PaO2 58 mm Hg on 1 L/min. Which interpretation fits?
- A. Acute-on-chronic ventilatory failure that needs intubation now
- B. Compensated respiratory acidosis from chronic CO2 retention
- C. Partly compensated metabolic alkalosis
- D. Mixed respiratory and metabolic acidosis
What is the NBRC TMC exam?
The Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination from the National Board for Respiratory Care has 160 multiple-choice items (140 scored, 20 pretest) in 3 hours. The low cut score earns the CRT credential; the high cut score also makes you eligible for the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE) toward the RRT. Scored content: Patient Data 50 items, Troubleshooting and Quality Control of Devices and Infection Control 20, Initiation and Modification of Interventions 70. The TMC is retired after December 31, 2026; from January 4, 2027 the single Respiratory Therapy (RT) Examination replaces TMC and CSE.
Administered by: National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) (official site ↗)
Who this exam is for
Respiratory therapy students and graduates sitting the NBRC TMC before the end of 2026, or the new RT Examination from 2027.
How to prepare
Start with this free timed diagnostic to see which NBRC TMC domains are weak, then review the published National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) outline on the official site and drill missed topics with the linked Anki deck before exam day.
Confirm current fees, eligibility, and scheduling with National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) before you book the real exam.
Topic outline
Core domains candidates usually study for NBRC TMC: Patient data: ABGs, assessment, PFTs, imaging, Equipment, quality control & infection control, Interventions: ventilation, NIV, medications, airway care, Emergency, neonatal & pediatric care.
Patient data: ABGs, assessment, PFTs, imaging
Equipment, quality control & infection control
Interventions: ventilation, NIV, medications, airway care
Emergency, neonatal & pediatric care
About this free NBRC TMC practice test
A timed 60-question respiratory therapy diagnostic drawn from a 120-question scenario bank: blood gases, ventilator graphics and settings, oxygen and aerosol devices, infection control, NIV and medications, neonatal resuscitation, and emergencies. The real TMC is 160 items in 3 hours and runs through December 31, 2026; from January 4, 2027 NBRC replaces TMC and CSE with one 185-item RT Examination. The clinical content here is shared by both exams.
Built for: Respiratory therapy students and graduates sitting the NBRC TMC before the end of 2026, or the new RT Examination from 2027.
Topics on this practice test: Patient data: ABGs, assessment, PFTs, imaging, Equipment, quality control & infection control, Interventions: ventilation, NIV, medications, airway care, Emergency, neonatal & pediatric care.
- 60 timed multiple-choice questions
- 75-minute pacing target
- UniPrep2Go readiness target: 70% with topic breakdown
- Full answer review after you submit
Your first UniPrep2Go attempt is free: a 25-question timed diagnostic on any exam (Exam or Learn mode, no signup) with the full topic report. Full-length mocks and retakes run on a $5 UniPrep2Go Mock Pass (Gumroad license key): 5 attempts on any mock. After your score, join the linked Anki deck waitlist for the .apkg when it ships.
Join the NBRC TMC Anki waitlistNBRC TMC practice test — quick answers
What is the NBRC TMC exam?
The TMC is NBRC's 160-item, 3-hour multiple-choice exam (140 scored). It has two cut scores: the low cut earns the CRT credential, and the high cut adds eligibility for the Clinical Simulation Examination, the second step to the RRT.
Is the TMC being replaced in 2027?
Yes. NBRC accepts the last TMC applications on December 15, 2026, and the last TMC test date is December 31, 2026. From January 4, 2027 the Respiratory Therapy (RT) Examination replaces both TMC and CSE: 185 multiple-choice items (160 scored, 25 pretest) in 4 hours, with a low cut score for CRT and a high cut score for RRT. Check nbrc.org for your own eligibility.
Is this practice test still useful for the 2027 RT Examination?
Mostly, yes. The 120-question bank covers clinical content that both exams test: blood gases, ventilator management, oxygen and aerosol devices, infection control, neonatal and pediatric resuscitation, and emergencies. The RT Examination adds a clinical-judgment portion and more neonatal and pediatric items, so pair this check with the free NBRC RT practice exam.
How is this check different from the real TMC?
It is a 60-question, 75-minute diagnostic drawn from a 120-question original bank, not 160 items in 3 hours, and it does not reproduce NBRC cut scores. Use it to find weak topics (patient data, equipment, interventions, emergency care), then take the official NBRC practice exam or a Self-Assessment Examination before test day.
Is there a free NBRC TMC practice test?
Yes — your first UniPrep2Go attempt is free, and it can be this one: a 25-question / 31-minute timed diagnostic drawn by the same topic weights, a 70% readiness target, topic scoring, and a full answer review report. No signup, Exam or Learn mode. The full 60-question / 75-minute mock runs on the $5 UniPrep2Go Mock Pass (5 attempts on any mock).
How many free attempts do I get on this NBRC TMC practice test?
One. Your first UniPrep2Go attempt is free: a 25-question timed diagnostic on any exam (Exam or Learn mode, no signup) with the full topic report. Full-length mocks and retakes run on a $5 UniPrep2Go Mock Pass (Gumroad license key): 5 attempts on any mock. Every attempt ends with the full topic report and answer review — the report itself is never paywalled.
More FAQAdditional format, scoring, and disclaimer questions
- How many questions are on this free NBRC TMC practice test?
- This UniPrep2Go practice test has 60 multiple-choice questions timed against a 75-minute target. The free first attempt is a 25-question / 31-minute diagnostic with the same topic weights; the full session runs on Mock Pass. Official NBRC TMC: 160 multiple-choice items (140 scored + 20 pretest) in 3 hours; low cut score earns CRT, high cut score adds CSE eligibility. Content outline: Patient Data 50, Troubleshooting/QC/Infection Control 20, Initiation & Modification of Interventions 70 scored items. TMC ends December 31, 2026 (last application December 15, 2026); from January 4, 2027 the single NBRC Respiratory Therapy (RT) Examination replaces TMC + CSE: 185 items (160 scored) in 4 hours, low cut = CRT, high cut = RRT. This 60-question, 75-minute check is a shorter diagnostic across the clinical content both exams share. Not an NBRC exam.
- Why is the free NBRC TMC practice test 25 questions?
- It is a diagnostic: 25 questions drawn by the same topic weights as the full 60-question mock — enough to rank your weakest topics, short enough to finish in 31 minutes in one sitting. With 1–6 questions per topic it is a quick read, not a verdict; for a full-length timed score, run the 60-question / 75-minute mock.
- What do I get for $5?
- The UniPrep2Go Mock Pass: 5 full timed attempts on any UniPrep2Go mock, including the 60-question NBRC TMC session, in Exam or Learn mode. It is a one-time Gumroad license key that works on any device — no subscription. Every attempt ends with the full topic report and answer review.
- What score do you need on this NBRC TMC practice test?
- The pass target on this practice test is 70%. Your report also breaks down performance by topic so you can see weak areas before the real exam.
- Who should take this NBRC TMC practice test?
- Respiratory therapy students and graduates sitting the NBRC TMC before the end of 2026, or the new RT Examination from 2027.
- Where can I take a NBRC TMC practice test online?
- UniPrep2Go hosts the Free NBRC TMC & 2027 RT Exam Readiness Check at https://uniprep2go.study/mock-exams/nbrc-tmc-readiness-check with a timed runner and full readiness report.
- Is this official exam material?
- No. This is an independent readiness diagnostic from UniPrep2Go. It is not official exam-board material and does not award certification or guarantee a passing score.
- What does the report show after the mock?
- Your report shows a pass/no-pass verdict with explanation, topic diagnosis, pacing notes, full question review with explanations, and a repair plan that links to the Anki deck waitlist for spaced-repetition practice when the .apkg ships.
- Where do the questions come from?
- Original UniPrep2Go 120-question scenario bank (36 patient data / 24 equipment & infection control / 36 interventions / 24 emergency, neonatal & pediatric), rewritten 2026-10-09 to the TMC outline areas that carry into the 2027 RT Examination. Each attempt draws 60 (18/12/18/12). Not NBRC SAE or exam items.