The American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) offers board certification in Family Medicine through its Board of Certification in Family Medicine (BCFM). Candidates for initial certification must meet ABPS eligibility requirements and pass a 200-question, computer-based examination covering the broad range of clinical knowledge used in family medicine.
QUESTIONS
200
TIME LIMIT
4 Hours
FORMAT
Computer-Based
QUESTION TYPE
Multiple Choice
This page covers the ABPS Board of Certification in Family Medicine examination. Other organizations also offer family medicine board certification, so make sure the study materials and requirements you use match the certification board through which you are applying.
Who Is Eligible for Family Medicine Certification?
ABPS publishes both general certification requirements and requirements specific to the Board of Certification in Family Medicine.
Its current Family Medicine requirements include:
- Graduation from a recognized U.S., Canadian, or international allopathic or osteopathic medical school
- A valid and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States, a U.S. territory, or Canada
- Completion of an ACGME- or AOA-accredited family medicine residency, or a family medicine residency accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
- A current curriculum vitae showing medical school, degrees, and work experience in chronological order
- A documented report of at least 10 family medicine cases in which you had the lead management role; the cases must be no more than 12 months old when your application is submitted
Meeting the published eligibility requirements does not by itself result in certification. Eligible candidates must also successfully complete the Family Medicine written examination.
What Is on the Family Medicine Exam?
The initial certification examination contains 200 multiple-choice questions. Each question has four possible answers and one correct answer.
ABPS divides the exam into 33 clinical and professional domains. The current blueprint weights them as follows:
5% of the Exam
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Signs and Symptoms of Diseases
4% of the Exam
- Dermatology
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Pediatrics
- Preventive Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Respiratory Diseases
3% of the Exam
- Allergies/Immunology
- Endocrinology
- Hematology/Oncology
- Medical and Surgical Emergencies
- Neurology
- Nutrition
- Obstetrics/Gynecology
- Orthopedics
- Pathology – Tissue and Laboratory Values
- Radiology
- Rheumatology
- Sports Medicine
- Urology
2% of the Exam
- Domestic Violence
- General Surgery
- Occupational Medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Public Health
- Renal Diseases
1% of the Exam
- Alternative Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Ethics
How Is the Exam Scored?
Each question is scored as correct or incorrect. ABPS establishes the minimum acceptable performance standard using a modified Angoff standard-setting process.
ABPS reports whether you passed or failed rather than publishing a universal percentage you must answer correctly. Candidates who do not pass receive a performance breakdown by content domain.
ABPS states that examination results are sent within 60 days after the last day of the administration window.
Can You Retake the Family Medicine Exam?
Yes. Candidates may take the written certification examination up to three times in an effort to earn a passing score.
If you do not pass within those three attempts, ABPS requires you to submit a new certification application and meet the eligibility requirements in effect when the new application is filed.
When Is the Exam Offered?
ABPS currently schedules the Family Medicine written examination during its October testing window. The Family Medicine fee schedule states that this testing period runs from October 1 through October 21.
Approved candidates select an available testing date, time, and testing center. ABPS uses computer-based testing centers throughout the United States and Canada, and some locations may offer evening or weekend appointments.
Application, registration, testing dates, and fees can change. Check the current ABPS examination schedule before planning around a particular deadline.
Family Medicine Exam Fees
ABPS charges separate application and examination fees. Its current fee schedule uses lower fees for candidates who complete each step before the early deadline.
Application Fee
$500 by the regular application deadline or $995 during the late-application period under the current fee schedule.
Written Exam Fee
$1,100 by the regular registration deadline or $1,450 during the late-registration period under the current fee schedule.
Retake Fee
The current written-exam retake fee for initial certification is $800.
Because fees are subject to change, verify the current amounts directly with ABPS before applying.
How to Prepare for the Family Medicine Exam
The breadth of the blueprint is one of the main challenges of this exam. Preparation should cover the full spectrum of family medicine rather than concentrating only on the areas you encounter most often in your own practice.
Study Checklist
- Review the current ABPS examination blueprint before creating your study plan.
- Spend extra time on clinical areas you encounter less frequently in practice.
- Review common presentations, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and management across the lifespan.
- Practice answering multiple-choice questions under timed conditions.
- Review explanations for missed questions rather than simply memorizing answers.
- Include ethics, public health, preventive medicine, emergencies, and other smaller blueprint domains in your review.
- Use current clinical references, since medical recommendations and standards of care can change.
How Long Does ABPS Family Medicine Certification Last?
ABPS Family Medicine certification is valid for eight years and expires on December 31 of the eighth year.
Recertification has separate requirements involving continuing medical education, the recertification application, and a written recertification examination. The recertification exam is different from the initial certification exam and contains 100 multiple-choice questions administered over two hours.
Official Family Medicine Exam Resources
ABPS Board of Certification in Family Medicine — Review certification and eligibility information.
Family Medicine Examination Description — Review the current exam format and content blueprint.
Family Medicine Application and Exam Fee Schedule — Check current application deadlines, exam fees, and testing information.
ABPS Examination Schedule — Confirm the current testing window and application deadlines.