WHEN DO I TAKE THE BOARDS?
PGY-3s take the exam in August. It is It is only offered once a year!
Exam dates are August 15, 17, 18, 22, 23, 29 2022.
Registration Dates are Dec 1, 2021- April 15, 2022 (Make sure to register early to get time/location you want!)
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Start early and go to “My Exams” on American Board of Internal Medicine | Sign In (abim.org)
Click on Register and schedule your appointment with Pearson. Familiarize yourself with ABIM’s exam' policies and complete certification exam tutorial
Schedule Your Internal Medicine Certification Exam | ABIM.org
HOW LONG IS THE EXAM?
The exam is 240 multiple choice questions with 100 minutes of available break time to use at your pace.
WHAT IS TESTED ON THE BOARDS?
The Exam Blueprint has an outline for content areas.
It’s important to understand the structure of the exam and know what material is fair game.
Keep in mind this document also shows the % assigned per content category so you can better focus and guide your study plan. i.e. Cardiology is ~14% and infectious disease is 9% of the exam, while ophthalmology and ENT are both 1% of the exam.
WHEN TO START STUDYING?
It is never too early to start! This also depends on the individual and at what stage you are in residency. PGY1 and PGY2 years are all about learning the material and reinforcing the information during residency.
Start actively preparing with questions and use either MKSAP or UWorld. Use the ITE as a starting guide to see where you stand.
Example timeline: (Everyone is different, don’t feel pressure to follow a specific timeline, the key is putting in time for qbank and content review especially on subjects which you’re not as strong in)
The Complete 6-Month Internal Medicine Board Study Plan (medstudy.com)
WHAT RESOURCES DO I USE?
Some used MKSAP initially and then UWorld 1-2 months before test day. It’s good to stick to 1-2 resources for your study plan. As a PGY-3 you will all be able to have a 6 month subscription to UWorld around February. Also recommend reading the Board Basics book that comes with MKSAP, this is high yield! Practice questions are key!
MKSAP 19 - Login Page | ACP (acponline.org)
Read MKSAP and extra high yield info that are commonly tested, use ITE and Exam Blueprint as examples
Leading ABIM Certification and Recertification Course - Awesome Review
Internal Medicine Board Review Courses | IMBR | ACP (acponline.org)