ABFM Board Exam Prep: How to Prepare for the Family Medicine Certification Exam

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The ABFM exam, or the American Board of Family Medicine Certification exam, is required for board certification in family medicine. This is the exam residents take either prior to completing their Family Medicine Residency or right after completing their residency. Residents should prepare for this exam throughout their residency by taking an in-service exam each year conducted by their respective residency programs. Once residents receive certification, they need to participate in the continuation of the Family Medicine certification process to stay board-certified. That process includes a recertification exam every 10 years. 

During my family medicine residency, I set my goal to take the ABFM board exam right after completing my residency. I started reviewing all the in-training exam questions, practice exams, and critiques which are available on the ABFM website along with some Family Medicine Board Review books. When it was time for my recertification, I utilized Family Medicine Review Courses online and bought subscriptions and PDFs so I could study at my own pace. Acquiring board certification in Family Medicine is proof that you have set your standard high as a physician by critically and continuously evaluating yourself and how you practice medicine. Recertification proves you strive hard to stay updated in order to acquire new skills and fill knowledge gaps, so you can provide improved quality of care to your patients.

What Is Covered on the Family Medicine Exam?

The Family Medicine board exam mainly consists of Hospital Medicine, Ambulatory Family Medicine, Pediatrics, General Surgery, Maternity Care, Women’s Health, Geriatrics, and Sports Medicine. The ABFM blueprint provides a fairly good idea of the distribution of exam questions and can help in board exam prep. The exam blueprint lists topics and organ systems which will be included in the exam along with the percentage of the exam that is focused on each topic. It’s a valuable tool that can be used to develop a strategy for effective exam preparation in a timely fashion. 

The ABFM Family Medicine Certification Examination consists of 300 multiple-choice questions that are to be completed within four 95-minute timed sessions of 75 questions each, with 100 minutes of pooled break time provided to be used in between sessions.

The exam is offered twice a year, in April and November. 

ABFM Certification Examination Blueprint

This ABFM exam blueprint (outlined below) is a list of the medical categories that will appear on the exam, along with the targeted percentage in each exam section.

• Cardiovascular 12%
• Endocrine 8%
• Gastrointestinal 7%
• Hematologic/Immune 3%
• Integumentary 6%
• Musculoskeletal 12%
• Nephrologic 3%
• Neurologic 3%
• Nonspecific 9%
• Psychogenic 7%
• Reproductive—Female 4%
• Reproductive—Male 1%
• Respiratory 13%
• Special Sensory 2%
• Population-based Care 5% – This includes topics such as biostatistics and epidemiology, evidence-based medicine, prevention, health policy and legal issues, bioterror, quality improvement, and geographic/urban/rural issues.
• Patient-based Systems 5% – This includes topics such as clinical decision-making, communication and doctor-patient interaction, family and cultural issues, ethics, palliative care, and end-of-life.

ABFM Exam Prep: How to Study for the Family Medicine Certification Examination 

When any of us hear about an exam, only one thought comes to mind, been there, done that. What’s one more board exam? However, the ABFM exam is different from all the others taken so far, as it’s more focused on the specialty you have dedicated your study to. I had to tackle this exam differently when I was a resident versus as a full-time physician. 

The ABFM website provides self-assessment activities for residents, which is a requirement for Board eligibility as well as a good resource for further review of exam material. 

If you are re-certifying in Family Medicine, then it’s best to set a goal of studying two years prior to the expiration of your current certification. It will give you ample time to apply for certification, study while busy with your medical practice, check deadlines, take time off to refresh, and not have gaps between your current and next certification. 

The Family Medicine curriculum covers patients of all ages and many specialties of medicine and surgery, so you will need to study and familiarize yourself with clinically relevant materials which affect different demographics in inpatient and outpatient settings. Overwhelming? Yes, of course. That’s why it’s important to dedicate enough study time.

24-12 months prior to the boards 

Well let’s take a deep breath, I suggest starting with a good problem-oriented review book or board review course.  I would also recommend utilizing the exam prep tool offered by The Pass Machine. It provides a customized weekly study schedule based on the exam blueprint and matches it with your allotted time.

At 24-12 months out from exam day, I suggest setting up daily study time starting with 5-10 practice questions and reviewing their explanations as well, so you have extensive familiarity with exam content. You also need to be able to recognize knowledge gaps, or content areas that are your strengths and weaknesses. For residents, it’s best to thoroughly review materials according to rotations along with their daily Family Medicine board review material reviews. 

My daily goal was to hear one lecture a day from The Pass Machine. I understand at first glance 24-12 months seems too much, but believe me time flies when you are busy, and board prep takes time. If you are short on time, definitely increase the number of lectures and questions a day. I would set a goal to complete the first pass to be done for all lectures, QBank questions, and notes 6 months prior to test day.

6 months prior to the boards

As you come closer to your exam and you are familiar with the exam content, as well as your strengths and weaknesses, now is a good time to set up a weekly schedule and complete your second round of board review.  

2 weeks prior to the boards 

This is the time I would just review the bulleted points from my lecture PDFs and board prep notes. I would not suggest doing any more QBanks at this time, as relaxing before test day to decrease exam day stress is also important.

Take Away Points

• Set a date for your Family Medicine Exam. This will set the tone and determination to study. 
• Review the contents of the exam curriculum. This will help you see the breadth and depth of how much you need to cover and divide your time. 
• Recognize your strengths and weaknesses from the curriculum by doing some questions from QBanks. 
• Pick a good review book and review course to start. 
• Start from your weak topics.

What to Expect on ABFM Exam Day

Exam day can be quite nerve-wracking, it’s better to be prepared completely ahead of time. The ABFM one-day exam is administered at a Prometric test center in a secure environment, with computer-based testing functions. It’s a completely computer-based examination. 

After choosing a date for your exam, it’s best to choose a Prometric test center as soon as possible to get one closest to you. If you are unfamiliar with the area, it will be wise to visit the Prometric test center prior to your exam day to avoid any delays on the day of as the test is time-based, and you don’t want any last-minute traffic or direction issues. 

Once you complete an application to take the exam, you will have an online tutorial available on the website. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the computer exam screen prior to your test day and learn how to navigate the screen in order to avoid confusion on the test day because you want all your concentration focused on test questions. You will have another opportunity prior to the beginning of your test to review the tutorial. 

Your E-ticket will be emailed prior to the test. You will need to take one or two forms of identification, along with your E-ticket to the Prometric center. Without those, you won’t be given entry for the test. A locker will be provided to store food and belongings, and a whiteboard and marker is provided as well. I utilize that board to write the number of sections completed and minutes used for break. If you go over 100 minutes of pooled break, the extra time you take for a break will be deducted from your test time leaving less time for the test. Pack yourself good snacks, fruits, chocolates, lunch, water, coffee, or tea. Mine was almost a picnic basket.

I have worked hard for this day and studied for many months, today is my relaxing day. I eat a good breakfast. I take the first short snack and tea break, the second one is lunch break followed by a short tea break which will be my last break. I utilize my whole break time to keep myself fresh for the test. Times are carefully noted and jotted down on the whiteboard, so I don’t lose any test time.

Family Medicine Board Review Course

When preparing for Family Medicine Board Review, choosing a board prep course is a crucial step. One must consider several factors prior to selecting a course to get the most out of it. Key factors would be if you would prefer a live course vs an online course. Secondly, the reputation of the organization, their method of learning, and, of course, the faculty. Comprehensive lectures by knowledgeable and thorough faculty are a must for a board review course along with an extensive QBank to practice and review all exam information. Nowadays, since we are all always on the go, one needs access to lectures and review questions on the go, so a mobile app is a must. During my search, I found The Pass Machine, which provided multiple board courses to my liking. I picked their Family Medicine Board Review Course, and since then I recommend it to everyone. 

The Family Medicine Board Review Course comes with an extensive QBank. You will have plenty of opportunities to apply what you learn throughout your lecture series with these practice questions. Each lecture has a question and explanation attached to it as it goes through the curriculum for better understanding. 

QBank questions are reflective of what will be on the boards, so you will be well prepared. It comes in a study mode and practice mode to suit your day and time. It can be randomized or set by topics, depending on how you have designed your study schedule.

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ABFM Exam: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I study for the ABFM board exam? 

The most important thing is to pick a good Family Medicine Board Review Course and set up a study schedule utilizing exam prep tools. 

What is an ABFM exam passing score?

A passing score is 380 for the one-day ABFM board exam. 

How many questions are on the ABFM exam?

The ABFM one-day Family Medicine Certification Exam consists of 300 multiple-choice questions.

How long does ABFM certification last?

When you take a one-day family medicine exam, ABFM board certification lasts 10 years. 

What happens if you fail the family medicine certification examination?

If you fail the ABFM certification exam, you will have a chance to take it again as long as you continue to meet the requirements to sit for Boards.