A Fordham graduate taking the New York State Bar exam went into cardiac arrest at Hofstra University, and according to witnesses who posted online, the proctor in the room did not stop the exam.
The incident occurred in the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex before the lunch break on Wednesday, July 30, the second day of the nationally given exam.
Hofstra Public Safety responded to the scene, providing life-saving care to an unidentified woman, including CPR and using a defibrillator on a woman who fell unconscious while taking the exam, a university spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the person was then transported via ambulance to Nassau University Medical Center for treatment. Her condition is unknown.
The spokesperson said Hofstra rented the center for testing and the school had no control over what happened in the room. Hofstra was the only testing location for the bar exam on Long Island.
It is unclear under what conditions proctors are permitted to stop the exam, but one person posted to Reddit that EMTs were telling test takers to clear the area while the proctor was telling them to sit down.
Others posted on the social media platform said they received an update after the lunch break, that the woman was being cared for
The Nassau County Police Department had no further information about what happened.
The Hempstead Village Police Department, which partners with the school, also said it was not involved in handling the situation.
The New York State Board of Law Examiners was unavailable for immediate comment as their direct phone number was down from Monday, July 28, through Friday, Aug. 1, due to the exam being administered.
The bar exam is a licensing test that allows people to become licensed attorneys and practice law if they pass.
