Woman suffers heart attack while taking bar exam at Hofstra, but proctors refuse to pause test, witnesses say

A woman taking the bar exam Wednesday at Hofstra University went into cardiac arrest, but proctors overseeing the test refused to halt the test, even as school safety officials began performing CPR and reviving the victim with a defibrillator, several witnesses said.

The incident occurred shortly before lunch on the second day of the State Bar Examination at Hofstra’s David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, a university spokesperson said.

The woman, a Fordham Law School student, collapsed between 12:15 p.m. and 12:25 p.m. She survived, officials said.

Within moments, Hofstra public safety officials rushed into the gymnasium, administering chest compressions and applying an automated external defibrillator, used to revive individuals from cardiac arrest, university spokeswoman Terry Coniglio said.

The New York State Board of Law Examiners, she said, rents space for the exam and Hofstra was not involved in the decision to keep going with the test. 

As first responders were providing life-or-death care to the unconscious woman, proctors administering the test declined to pause the exam, which is required before an individual can become a practicing attorney, nor did they make an announcement regarding the medical incident.

Samantha Portillo, 26, of New Jersey, was sitting two rows in front of the woman and was preparing to review the 100 question section when the victim let out a "painful cry" and collapsed. 

"We were just expected to continue with the test while somebody's literally losing their pulse behind me," Portillo said, adding that other test takers were crying and unable to finish the section. "It was really inhumane."

Another test taker, who asked not to be identified,said it was unclear if the woman would survive but that the proctors prioritized the exam. The person requested to remain anonymous because of privacy issues.

"From a purely human standpoint, that's another human being in distress," the test taker said. "And that's not something that you could just ... flip to the back of your mind immediately — at least for me."

The students returned to complete the exam after an abbreviated lunch break. There was no announcement about the incident or the condition of the woman.

Efforts to reach the Board of Law Examiners, which administers the test, and the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which provides services to bar applicants, were not successful.

The woman who suffered the medical incident was taken by ambulance to Nassau University Medical Center. 

"We were saddened to learn of what happened to one of our graduates during the New York bar exam this week and have been in touch with the family to monitor the graduate’s health," said Joseph Landau, dean of Fordham Law School. "Our thoughts are with the graduate and the family, and out of respect for their privacy, we do not have any further comment." 

Multiple test takers took to the online site Reddit to describe the incident and criticize the refusal to halt the test, which occurred an estimated 5 to 15 minutes before a mandatory lunch break.

Others in the room said proctors admonished students, some of whom were in tears, who moved their seats to accommodate the arriving emergency personnel.

And several witnesses noted that if the proctors had made an announcement to the room of several hundred students, it’s likely one of the test takers was certified in CPR could have begun administering care before public safety officials arrived.

Some commenters said the incident underscores the intense licensing standards necessary to practice law.

Three states — Washington, Oregon and Utah — have passed laws, allowing alternative methods to demonstrate competency in legal training.

It is not clear under what circumstances proctors are permitted to halt the exam but it's not unprecedented to stop the test because of emergencies.

Earlier this week, a bar exam being administered in Hawaii was stopped mid-test and students were evacuated because of an impending tsunami risk.

Nicole Lefton, a Hofstra Law School professor and director of academic support and bar exam preparation, sent an email Wednesday offering counseling and mental health services to university students struggling with the episode.

"We understand that witnessing a medical incident during the Bar Exam today may have been distressing," Lefton wrote. "While we cannot share any medical details about the incident, we want to acknowledge the impact it may have had on you."

Newsday's Beth Whitehouse contributed to this story.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.