If you need help studying for the ABIM Internal Medicine certification exam or just want some more information about what the exam is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free ABIM Internal Medicine practice test!
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the ABIM exam, you’ll have to meet the requirements below:
- You need at least 36 months of accredited internal medicine training
- You need at least 30 months of clinical experience
If you meet these requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 240 multiple-choice questions total, but only 205 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 35 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 8 hours, not including breaks. You’ll have a scheduled break after every 2 hours (or every 60 questions, whichever comes first).
These are the different topics covered on the ABIM Internal Medicine exam:
- Allergy and immunology (2%)
- Cardiovascular disease (14%)
- Dermatology (3%)
- Endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism (9%)
- Gastroenterology (9%)
- Hematology (6%)
- Infectious disease (9%)
- Nephrology and urology (6%)
- Neurology (4%)
- Obstetrics and gynecology (3%)
- Medical oncology (6%)
- Ophthalmology (1%)
- Otolaryngology and dental medicine (1%)
- Psychiatry (4%)
- Pulmonary disease (9%)
- Rheumatology and orthopedics (9%)
- Geriatric syndromes (3%)
- Miscellaneous (2%)
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application on ABIM’s website. The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $1,430.
ABIM Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 200 and 800.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
FAQs
How many questions are on the ABIM Internal Medicine exam?
The exam contains 240 questions.
What is the time limit for the ABIM Internal Medicine exam?
The exam is timed at 8 hours.
What is the passing score for the ABIM Internal Medicine exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 366 to pass.
How much does the ABIM Internal Medicine exam cost?
The testing fee is $1,430.