The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) examination is designed to assess the knowledge and skills of doctors who seek to practice in certain specialty areas. The exams are all-day events, and are renowned for their rigor.
ABIM exams are broken up into sessions: each exam session contains a maximum of sixty multiple-choice questions. A time allotment of two hours will be granted for completion of each exam session. You will also receive a one-hour lunch break.
The ABIM program includes initial certification exams and exams for the maintenance of the specific medical certification.
Initial certification exams are offered in the following specialty areas: internal medicine; adolescent medicine, advanced heart failure and transparent cardiology; allergy and immunology; cardiovascular disease; clinical cardiac electrophysiology; critical care medicine; endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism; gastroenterology; geriatric medicine; hematology; hospice and palliative medicine; infectious disease; interventional cardiology; medical oncology; nephrology; pulmonary disease; rheumatology; sleep medicine; sports medicine; and transplant hepatology. ABIM maintenance certification exams are offered in the following specialty areas: internal medicine; adolescent medicine; cardiovascular disease; clinical cardiac electrophysiology; critical care medicine; endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism; gastroenterology; geriatric medicine; hematology; infectious disease; interventional cardiology; medical oncology; nephrology; pulmonary disease; rheumatology; and sports medicine.
All of the ABIM examinations are administered via computer. The computer screen will display the time remaining in each section. You will get a warning when you have five minutes left in each section.
ABIM FAQ
What is the ABIM exam?
The ABIM exam is given to physicians as the last step in becoming board certified.
How much does it cost to take the ABIM exam?
The cost of the ABIM exam is $500 for the traditional 10-year exam, and $200 for the two-year knowledge check-in.
How long does it take to get the ABIM scores?
Results are released within three months of the last date that the exam was taken.
What score do you need to pass the ABIM test?
A passing score on the ABIM test is 366.
How long do you have to wait before you can retake an ABIM exam?
You may reapply for the exam each year for three consecutive years. If those three attempts result in failure, you must skip one year before reapplying.
How many questions are on the ABIM test?
Multiple editions of the test are used and may differ in the number of questions. Generally, there are around 240 questions.