During the psychological examination, an approved psychologist assesses whether the examined person can be declared psychologically fit for the safety-relevant activity.

Please note that you will only be invited for the psychological fitness examination if you fulfil the following conditions:

• You are healthy and 100% fit for work. 
• You are not currently undergoing, and have not undergone within the past 12 months, psychological or psychiatric treatment or your ability to work has not been affected by a mental illness within the past 12 months. If this is the case, please contact info.dia@sbb.chLink opens in new window..
• You are not currently taking, and have not taken in the last 12 months, any psychotropic drugs, such as antidepressants, tranquillisers, sleeping pills etc.
  
• You are not currently using, and have not used in the last two years, drugs, narcotics, cannabis, CBD etc.
• You do not have any open criminal cases.
• You do not have any current entries in your criminal record. If you do, please submit this information for consideration together with your application. This will be checked by an approved psychologist. 
• You do not currently have, and have not had in the last two years, a driving ban or other serious offence on your IVZ (driving) record (e.g. as a result of speeding or drunk-driving). If you do, please submit this information for consideration together with your application. This will be checked by an approved psychologist.

What can you expect?

The psychological fitness examination comprises a total of three requirement areas:

• Intelligence and memory
• Cognitive-psychoreactive function
• Personality requirements

In the Intelligence and memory section, you will complete various tasks designed to asses your logical thinking, linguistic and numerical reasoning, spatial awareness and short- and long-term memory ability.

• In the linguistic comprehension test, for example, you will be asked to complete sentences and make analogies.
• The numerical reasoning test involves continuing a sequence of numbers and solving various arithmetic problems. With the exception of paper and pencil, no aids (e.g. calculator or similar) are permitted. 
• In the spatial awareness test, you will be asked to mentally rotate cube and decide whether the cube shown is correct.
• The short- and long-term memory test involves memorising information and recalling it at a later point.

In the Cognitive-psychoreactive function section, you will complete various tasks designed to assess your attention span, concentration, reaction times and visual perception skills.  

In the Personality requirements section , an approved psychologist will lead a personal conversation with you. 

General tips for the psychological fitness examination.

• If you don’t feel healthy, cancel the test. Once you have taken the test, the result obtained is valid. 
• For the ‘Cognitive-psychoreactive function’ section of the psychological fitness examination, you will need to use your hands and feet. So you should cancel the test if you can’t use them fully as a result of an injury. 
• Make sure that you are well rested for the test. 
• Strong medication, alcohol and drugs will have a negative impact on your performance. If you have been prescribed medication by your doctor, take it as usual and inform the approved psychologist in charge on the day of the examination.
• Don’t forget your glasses or contact lenses if you normally need them. 

Formal preliminary information.

As this is an official investigation, it will be conducted using formal forms of address, including all related communication.