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FAQs

Is mksap harder than ABIM? ›

ACP's MKSAP is another popular choice for ABIM board studying. MKSAP questions are slightly easier, with little to no reading between the lines, which may more closely resemble the ABIM exam.

How hard is the ABIM exam? The ABIM exam is one of the most difficult exams a doctor will take throughout their career. There are 240 case-based, single-best-answer multiple-choice questions that cover a wide range of Internal Medicine topics. The ABIM certification exam consists of single-best-answer questions only.

If you fail the ABIM certification exam, you can retake the exam two more times for a total of three attempts. If you fail three attempts of the ABIM exam, you will need to wait one year before registering for the exam again.

It's highly recommended to spend 10-14 hours a week for three or more months. Take a practice exam simulation as see where your weaknesses are. Work through the individual topics of difficulty to master them, then re-assess overall knowledge with larger exam simulations. The best IM board reviews are built for this.

What's the passing score and topic breakdown of the ABIM certification exam? Scoring is based on a standardized scale of 200 to 800, and anything at or over 366 is a passing score. The failure rate on the ABIM certification exam hovers around 1 in 10.

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) takes the top spot as the most challenging exam in the US, with an average preparation time ranging from 200 to 400 hours for each of its three steps.

If the candidate does not become board certified during the seven-year period of Board Eligibility, the candidate will no longer be deemed “Board Eligible” and may no longer represent himself or herself as “Board Eligible.”

Now let's get into the UWorld ABIM QBank's question difficulty, question length, and quality of explanations: UWorld's questions are slightly more difficult than those on the boards, but that's certainly better than having them be too easy.

NEET PG is considered one of the toughest exams in India. It is an entrance exam for admission to postgraduate medical courses in India.

Certification is not required to practice medicine, but board certification is required by many hospitals and health care systems because it shows physicians are committed to continued learning and evaluation.

What happens if you don't pass ABIM? ›

You can take the exam annually for up to three years, but if you have not passed after your third attempt, you'll have to wait one year before registering again. For example, if you fail the exam in 2023, 2024, and 2025, you wouldn't be able to register for the exam again until 2027.

To stay certified, earn 100 MOC points every 5 years. In 10 years, you must pass an MOC assessment, which can be the traditional, 10-year MOC exam, the Longitudinal Knowledge Assessment, or a Collaborative Maintenance Pathway assessment (available in Cardiovascular Disease and cardiology subspecialties).

Your go-to source for ABIM exam preparation. More than 94% of Internal Medicine residents use MKSAP to prepare for the Boards. Whether preparing for the ABIM certification exam or the MOC exam, study confidently with MKSAP!

MedStudy covers all 18 Medical Content Categories of the ABIM exam blueprint; the MKSAP addresses 17 of the 18 (not A&I).

You can use MKSAP 19 to submit for CME, MOC, and CPD only if you are an individual subscriber who has purchased MKSAP 19 from ACP or an authorized distributor.