Certification Examination passing statistics

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andwhat

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anybody know where I can find this info? Seems as if it is not online anywhere.
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thanks for the info Low Budget.
 
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Members don't see this ad :)
They are in the american board of family medicine website. But you may need a password to see them.
 
andwhat said:
thanks Joe.
Click to expand...

No problem

2007 is all they have listed.

Total Pass Rate: 76.7%
US 82.2 this was surprising to me.
FMG 67.9

Minimum Pass Score 390 I think it's out of 600 or 650.

Ist time takers pass rate 81.5%

The above is for General Certification it does not include geriatric or sleep or sports etc.

You don't need a password. Go to www.theabfm.org then look under diplomate statistics on the left hand side of the screen.
 
Joe Richards said:
No problem

2007 is all they have listed.

Total Pass Rate: 76.7%
US 82.2 this was surprising to me.
FMG 67.9

Minimum Pass Score 390 I think it's out of 600 or 650.

Ist time takers pass rate 81.5%

The above is for General Certification it does not include geriatric or sleep or sports etc.

You don't need a password. Go to www.theabfm.org then look under diplomate statistics on the left hand side of the screen.
Click to expand...

wow! That is quite shocking and disappointing, considering specialties such as IM have a pass rate of around 92%.
I actually read a letter somewhere within the last year or two, that mentioned that these certification examinations in Primary Care became easier to pass, and much more user friendly. I do not understand how 'friendly' constitutes one third of IMGs failing the test, and this AFTER completion of residency, and 76% overall.
It seems unbelievably unfriendly if you ask me.
I simply cannot understand why the pass rates for this Family Medicine examination are so low.
Also please name me any other Medical Specialty in the US that has REcertification examinations.
I saw people in their late 50s in the review course.
How in the world is it friendly, to expect them to remember first year Biochemistry in tougher question format than USMLEs, and harder Pathophysiology than Medical school.
I cannot believe it, that around 20% of US grads failed the test, AFTER completion of residency.
That is a SIGNIFICANTLY higher fail rate than USMLEs.
That is unbelievable. That is not a very friendly passing standard for a Certification examination, especially when you want to practice General Medicine.
It is different if it is possibly a specializing examination after a competitive fellowship like Sports Medicine.
But after residency, for GENERAL practice? What in the world is going on these days?

Minimum Pass Score 390 I think it's out of 600 or 650.

Thats kind of a narrow margin to pass also, when you think about the level of difficulty of questions that are asked on the test.
A few of the questions were not even discernible.
Why is it so difficult to pass? The questions were not even comparable to the in-service examinations. These were much more difficult than anything including USMLEs.
And then the thought that, one has to deal with this pressure and stress every 7 to 10 years?? So ten years from now, I am expected to know PathoBiochemistry, at a level more intense than medical school or USMLEs?
 
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andwhat said:
wow! That is quite shocking and disappointing, considering specialties such as IM have a pass rate of around 92%.
I actually read a letter somewhere within the last year or two, that mentioned that these certification examinations in Primary Care became easier to pass, and much more user friendly. I do not understand how 'friendly' constitutes one third of IMGs failing the test, and this AFTER completion of residency, and 76% overall.
It seems unbelievably unfriendly if you ask me.
I simply cannot understand why the pass rates for this Family Medicine examination are so low.
Also please name me any other Medical Specialty in the US that has REcertification examinations.
I saw people in their late 50s in the review course.
How in the world is it friendly, to expect them to remember first year Biochemistry in tougher question format than USMLEs, and harder Pathophysiology than Medical school.
I cannot believe it, that around 20% of US grads failed the test, AFTER completion of residency.
That is unbelievable. That is not a very friendly passing standard for a Certification examination, especially when you want to practice General Medicine.
It is different if it is possibly a specializing examination after a competitive fellowship like Sports Medicine.
But after residency, for GENERAL practice? What in the world is going on these days?

Minimum Pass Score 390 I think it's out of 600 or 650.

Thats kind of a narrow margin to pass also, when you think about the level of difficulty of questions that are asked on the test.
A few of the questions were not even discernible.
Why is it so difficult to pass? The questions were not even comparable to the in-service examinations. These were much more difficult than anything including USMLEs.
And then the thought that, one has to deal with this pressure and stress every 7 to 10 years?? So ten years from now, I am expected to know PathoBiochemistry, at a level more intense than medical school or USMLEs?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the numbers did surprise me as well. About 18% of US grads did not pass the FP boards.

I took it several years ago so I'm not sure how difficult it was now. But back then there were some questions that were questionable. Many of the questions are thrown out or are experimental.

I'm going to take a review course when I have to take it again.

I think they should change the testing where we do an annual exam based on up to date treatments. Or several small mini exams to ensure we are keeping up with the material.

Passing an exam every 10 years does not make someone a good doctor.
 
Strange strategy of the AAFP to make board certification harder at a time when BC FP's really need to be adding to their ranks as much as possible.

I'm not saying they should make the test a joke, but primarily relying on ACGME-accredited training programs rather than test-taking abilities to produce solid FP's seems much more reasonable and advantageous in the long-term.
 
secretwave101 said:
Strange strategy of the AAFP to make board certification harder at a time when BC FP's really need to be adding to their ranks as much as possible.

I'm not saying they should make the test a joke, but primarily relying on ACGME-accredited training programs rather than test-taking abilities to produce solid FP's seems much more reasonable and advantageous in the long-term.
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It is almost easier to do a different residency, and not have to deal with these difficult recertification examinations every 10 years.
I am telling you, that they ask things from first year Biochemistry, in a more twisted format. :thumbdown:
Unfair completely unjust, and ESPECIALLY for somebody practicing say in their 60s or 70s. That needs to stop.
There is no other specialty that exists in the Medical field, where you have to be REcertified, to my knowledge. ONLY Family Medicine.
 
andwhat said:
There is no other specialty that exists in the Medical field, where you have to be REcertified, to my knowledge. ONLY Family Medicine.
Click to expand...

Well, if that question was on the board exam, you'd have gotten it wrong. ;)

All 24 ABMS member boards employ a continuous maintenance-of-certification program.

http://www.abms.org/about_board_certification/means.aspx

Some of you seriously need to quit whining. Medicine is all about lifelong learning. Is this really news to anybody? :confused:
 
Blue Dog said:
Well, if that question was on the board exam, you'd have gotten it wrong. ;)

All 24 ABMS member boards employ a continuous maintenance-of-certification program.

http://www.abms.org/about_board_certification/means.aspx

Some of you seriously need to quit whining. Medicine is all about lifelong learning. Is this really news to anybody? :confused:
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thanks for the heads up.
However, and a big however, is the pass/fail rate in our VAST subject. I do not think that its fair that for the rest of my life, I have to sweat out all of medical school knowledge -- knowing that I have to have this on the tips of every single fingertip in order to successfully pass this examination -- called the Recertification Family Medicine examination.
You know residency is literally acquiring knowledge on a daily basis. Daily noon conferences, didactics, morning rounds, preceptor rotations. Each and every single day there are preceptors and other residents challenging one another.
I just think that in the real world that edge is missing. It is about work, and lifelong learning.
Just please consider somebody that decides to do Hospital Medicine, or Urgent Care.
This individual may suffer when it comes to 'traditional' family medicine, and taking the boards after ten years, of this vast vast subject named Family Medicine. Ob Gyn, Peds, Epidemiology, what if I do not do this on a daily basis? How in the world am I supposed to be proficient at it? Especially knowing the dismal pass fail rate?
Also, why is the passing standard much lower than other specialties comparatively?
Last time that I checked, the IM pass rate was 92%
FM pass rate is 82% for US Seniors that matched and finished a Family Medicine residency, and a pathetic
67% pass rate for IMGs finishing up a Family Medicine residency.
Approximately 76% overall.
Please explain that one.
 
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Blue Dog said:
Just a guess, but it may have something to do with the quality of the FM applicant pool these days.
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Could be, possibly.
However that still seems difficult. The questions are tough, but doable for some part.
Final block was deceptively easy? Module blocks were brutal, as was the first block at times.
I just cannot fathom the idea of taking that thing after 10 years have elapsed :scared:
 
Blue Dog said:
Just a guess, but it may have something to do with the quality of the FM applicant pool these days.
Click to expand...

I don't know if that is a fair statement.

there was an 18% failure rate in the US grads.
 
I took the FM boards recently. I've always thought that Step 3 was easier than our in-training exams. There're only 5 types of questions NBME asks! ITE is more difficult because they ask a bunch of factoids and pearls that you either picked up somewhere or didn't. And the breadth of the material makes it hard to cram. I won't say any more until I get my score...

That said, I'm glad we have this 10 year option. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the old guys had to do it every 7 years. And I've heard that the boards are better now than they were before. And I don't know if you noticed this but you get to CHOOSE the 2 modules that fit your practice... I don't think the old guys got to do that.

Lastly, 10 years ago, the boards were administered on pencil and paper and there was all this whooplah from the old guys because they didn't know how to work a computer.

Don't sweat 10 years from now, everything will be different anyways.
 
lowbudget said:
I took the FM boards recently. I've always thought that Step 3 was easier than our in-training exams. There're only 5 types of questions NBME asks! ITE is more difficult because they ask a bunch of factoids and pearls that you either picked up somewhere or didn't. And the breadth of the material makes it hard to cram. I won't say any more until I get my score...

That said, I'm glad we have this 10 year option. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the old guys had to do it every 7 years. And I've heard that the boards are better now than they were before. And I don't know if you noticed this but you get to CHOOSE the 2 modules that fit your practice... I don't think the old guys got to do that.

Lastly, 10 years ago, the boards were administered on pencil and paper and there was all this whooplah from the old guys because they didn't know how to work a computer.

Don't sweat 10 years from now, everything will be different anyways.
Click to expand...

I think it should be a lifetime certification with regular CME. The CME should be based on demonstrating that we can manage patients.

That is what we do in clinic.
 
Blue Dog said:
I wasn't necessarily referring to FMGs.
Click to expand...

I know, I'm saying it is a surprise that 18 of US grads failed the exam.

FMG's may fail it for many reasons like language, not being familiar with the US testing system etc.

But what happened to the US grads?
 
Joe Richards said:
I know, I'm saying it is a surprise that 18 of US grads failed the exam.

FMG's may fail it for many reasons like language, not being familiar with the US testing system etc.

But what happened to the US grads?
Click to expand...

That is pretty crazy, and the interesting factoid, is that SIGNIFICANT dropoff from 97% to 82%.
Why exactly is that?
https://www.theabfm.org/residency/residencyPerformance_v3.pdf

that is crazy, unreal.
There has GOT to be some better way of maintaining certification, rather than gunning people down for not knowing first year Biochemistry.
 
I know Blue Dog thinks we need to quit whining...but I think THEY need to lighten up and trust the residency training programs. WHY even have an ACGME-accreditation process for training if all those years can be blasted away by a test? Why not just have tests? Why train at all?

There was a time when the completion of an accredited residency stood for something. Making it through was itself the attestation that you were trained for medicine. Now someone believes the way to prove knowledge is by objective tests, which have ALL KINDS of theoretical problems with how well they correlate to actual knowledge and especially how well they predict good doctors.

I chose family medicine because of the emphasis on communication and relationship within the context of medicine. By emphasizing stringent (and crippling, for many) testing, the field is moving that much further away from it's roots. Again I assert that the FP leaders have no idea who they are as professionals (check out the 'future of family medicine' project to see the hand-wringing). They've lost their way. To compensate, they throw brutal tests at their docs to show the rest of the world that they're tough and rigorous.
 
secretwave101 said:
I know Blue Dog thinks we need to quit whining...but I think THEY need to lighten up and trust the residency training programs. WHY even have an ACGME-accreditation process for training if all those years can be blasted away by a test? Why not just have tests? Why train at all?

There was a time when the completion of an accredited residency stood for something. Making it through was itself the attestation that you were trained for medicine. Now someone believes the way to prove knowledge is by objective tests, which have ALL KINDS of theoretical problems with how well they correlate to actual knowledge and especially how well they predict good doctors.

I chose family medicine because of the emphasis on communication and relationship within the context of medicine. By emphasizing stringent (and crippling, for many) testing, the field is moving that much further away from it's roots. Again I assert that the FP leaders have no idea who they are as professionals (check out the 'future of family medicine' project to see the hand-wringing). They've lost their way. To compensate, they throw brutal tests at their docs to show the rest of the world that they're tough and rigorous.
Click to expand...

I have to say I agree with most of your statement. I've been in practice for many years. In residency and in medical school I've seen many good doctors do bad on tests. I don't mean they failed but the best test takers are not always the best doctors. There are exceptions.

Like I said earlier I believe that since we have the technology, the exams should be based on clinical situations.

ex: Pt 1 complains of ......

tests, labs, differential, diagnosis, treatment options.

Even then there will be variations in how patients are treated. But at least there can be a minimum standard.

Most importantly the exam becomes relevant.

Test me on new drugs that have come out since I finished residency. Test me on new and updated treatments and possible new algorithms.

P.S. this is just my opinion but I think that "Future of Family Medicine" thing is just a cry for help.
 
Joe Richards said:
I have to say I agree with most of your statement. I've been in practice for many years. In residency and in medical school I've seen many good doctors do bad on tests. I don't mean they failed but the best test takers are not always the best doctors. There are exceptions.

Like I said earlier I believe that since we have the technology, the exams should be based on clinical situations.

ex: Pt 1 complains of ......

tests, labs, differential, diagnosis, treatment options.

Even then there will be variations in how patients are treated. But at least there can be a minimum standard.

Most importantly the exam becomes relevant.

Test me on new drugs that have come out since I finished residency. Test me on new and updated treatments and possible new algorithms.

P.S. this is just my opinion but I think that "Future of Family Medicine" thing is just a cry for help.
Click to expand...


There were not even FREAKIN normal lab value??? Can you believe that?? Am I supposed to have MEMORIZED EACH AND EVERY SINGLE LAB VALUE IN THE WORLD, AND APPLY IT TO THE TEST?? How in the world can one possibly do that? I was looking up the lab value, to compare it to normal.... and what do you know it? No normal reference??
How in the world am I supposed to have memorized that?
I think that the test did NOT test common things, I mean extremely uncommon things, that love to be tested on the boards, that I can recall from my step 1 course somehow. How? I have no idea, but sure as heck am not going to remember them 10 years from now.
I consistently scored well above the national average on the in service training examinations, and have to say that I am thoroughly disappointed with the level of detail tested on this examination.
The kind of syndromes that were tested, you have pretty much a zero percent chance of dealing with in the real world -- but I do recall from my step 1 course, that these are common things tested on the boards. My Step 1 course from 2002.
Thank goodness that USMLE tests these uncommonly common things, otherwise they are WAY out of left field.
I would have had a zero percent chance of knowing these things, had USMLE not tested them and made me learn them. The crazy insane weird metabolic disorders, that you have no chance of encountering in real life, unless you are in research maybe in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, and Neurology, and Nephrology.
 
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Also please name me any other Medical Specialty in the US that has REcertification examinations.

Anesthesiology,Neurology, Addiction medicine...
The pass rates in fp seem reasonable. Everyone can't pass.The test would then be meaningless.

Cambie
 
CambieMD said:
Also please name me any other Medical Specialty in the US that has REcertification examinations.

Anesthesiology,Neurology, Addiction medicine...
The pass rates in fp seem reasonable. Everyone can't pass.The test would then be meaningless.

Cambie
Click to expand...

I believe that this issue was reiterated ummmmm just a few times on this thread, thanks for the input though it is greatly and thoroughly appreciated. I feel double and triple enlightened now! Thanks so so much!
I am just assuming that you are not in Family Medicine. Pretty easy to look at the pass rate of 82% for US grads, and 76% overall, and say "aw thats reasonable"
Well it is really much more reasonable if you do not have to take it.
 
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Cambie was. Practiced for many years. And then returned to residency to do anesthesia. Welcome back to the forum... Look at all the complaining that you've been missing?!!
 
lowbudget said:
Cambie was. Practiced for many years. And then returned to residency to do anesthesia. Welcome back to the forum... Look at all the complaining that you've been missing?!!
Click to expand...

thanks yeah exactly dude, nuts... but wanted to throw out that gripe about that tough test..

Gastroenterologists do not have to pass General IM boards anymore FOR LIFE after sub specializing -- only Gastroenterology Boards. So if an FM doc wants to be a Hospitalist, shouldn't the FM doc get the same privileges examination wise as a Specialist, that did a fellowship after residency? It just absolutely does not make sense.

I will say, that it is nice having modules. That being said, there still is a VAST MAJORITY of the test that is General FM knowledge, which is fair once and for all after residency, but not every 10 years for the rest of that doctor's life.

That is like some prison sentence -- and for WHAT? Why are we being punished every ten years?

That is just not making any sense to me at all.

I know of virtually zero FM docs that do Ob Gyn -- maybe like 1%, and very few that do Peds. Most that I know of, specialize in Adult Medicine, Geriatrics, Urgent Care, or Hospitalist positions. How is that possible, that they have to relearn all of that material that they have been away from for 10 or so years?
That is not frightening, it is terrifying!
 
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like I said, PERFECT test straight outta residency. Brutal test if taken ten years away from residency.
Hopefully there is a difference between certification and recertification... otherwise thats one toughhhh test...
 
andwhat said:
like I said, PERFECT test straight outta residency. Brutal test if taken ten years away from residency.
Hopefully there is a difference between certification and recertification... otherwise thats one toughhhh test...
Click to expand...

I'll let you know. I recert tomorrow.
 
Blue Dog said:
I'll let you know. I recert tomorrow.
Click to expand...

gl dude.... you will do great, I am just whining, when it comes to it its a very fair and objective test..... just nitpicking details at times... guess that I would rather have been hanging out and traveling, rather than studying for a test during my last amount of time off ever possibly..:sleep:
 
Shinken said:
How was it?
Click to expand...

Pretty comprehensive, but not much different than what I remember from previous exams. I didn't really study much, just did some review questions (which helped). Most of the exam was stuff that I knew, but there were several questions that I probably would've been clueless about even if I'd studied my ass off. That's just the way it goes.

Every time I've taken a Step or Board exam, I've walked out thinking, "Well, I could've failed that." Mostly, I think that's because we remember what we didn't know more than what we did know. It's always a little humbling.
 
Blue Dog said:
Pretty comprehensive, but not much different than what I remember from previous exams. I didn't really study much, just did some review questions (which helped). Most of the exam was stuff that I knew, but there were several questions that I probably would've been clueless about even if I'd studied my ass off. That's just the way it goes.

Every time I've taken a Step or Board exam, I've walked out thinking, "Well, I could've failed that." Mostly, I think that's because we remember what we didn't know more than what we did know. It's always a little humbling.
Click to expand...

thats how I feel when I come out of board exams. Which modules did you take?
 
passed, well above the mean.
that was still a killer test, not to mention the overall pass stastistics for first time test takers last year. how did people do this year?
that was by far the toughest test I have ever encountered.
 
I just found out that I passed. I did the questions on the aafp website which were very helpful. I echo the sentiments expressed earlier. I'm going into geriatrics and dread the day when I re-certify. I don't know how I'll do on the ped's and ob in years to come after a career in nursing homes and hospice.
 
bunnymd said:
I just found out that I passed. I did the questions on the aafp website which were very helpful. I echo the sentiments expressed earlier. I'm going into geriatrics and dread the day when I re-certify. I don't know how I'll do on the ped's and ob in years to come after a career in nursing homes and hospice.
Click to expand...

nursing home and hospice?? dude that test was literally LOADED with geriatrics..... you will do great, congrats to you guys for finishing... I am still curious how nationwide statistics will prevails this year. :thumbup:
If anything, I should be worried about the recertification examination.
I always scored less in Hospitalist questions, as compared to Peds and Ob Gyn. That will be a nightmare of a recertification examination.
Hopefully this test gets easier.
I will certainly be out of touch with Peds and Ob Gyn, and Sports Medicine. Urgent care is a GREAT rotation to learn from academically.
Too bad it is a horrible job.
Certification for 7 years and not ten??? How do I increase that interval to ten years?
 
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andwhat said:
Certification for 7 years and not ten??? How do I increase that interval to ten years?
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If you've done a certain amount of SAMs and other MOC options by the 7-year mark, you can get a 3-year extension at that time. There are details somewhere on the ABFM site, but I couldn't put my finger on them.

Edit: Ah, here they are, on the AAFP site: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/cme/boardreview.html

MC-FP Requirements
In addition to maintaining a valid and unrestricted medical license, earning 300 CME credits, and taking the cognitive exam, physicians must complete the following:

Seven-Year Cycle
• 6 Self-Assessment Modules (SAMs)
• 1 Performance in Practice Module (PPM)

Ten-Year Cycle
• 2 SAMs every 3 years (6 total)
• 1 PPM every 3 years (3 total)
Click to expand...
 
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Blue Dog said:
If you've done a certain amount of SAMs and other MOC options by the 7-year mark, you can get a 3-year extension at that time. There are details somewhere on the ABFM site, but I couldn't put my finger on them.

Edit: Ah, here they are, on the AAFP site: http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/cme/boardreview.html
Click to expand...

thanks man. results are back, not significantly better than last year, albeit an improvement nonetheless.


88% of US grads passed, and 73% of IMGs passed.
Recertification results indicated that 64% of IMGs passed.
Overall 82% pass rate of all that took it the first time.
I would imagine that it is much harder to score higher the second time around than the first, as you are fully focused on the test the first time around usually


https://www.theabfm.org/about/stats_exams.aspx

It is very helpful when useful information is posted on this board, and not useless clutter. I don't understand the politics here, what is allowed to be posted and what is not -- quite frustrating if you think about it... I choose not to think about it fortunately.
Very disappointing. Useful info could be generated here and shared, instead of worthless name calling and fighting almost constantly.
There is one thread in particular that should be locked and eliminated, yet it is still hovering around.
Who cares though honestly? I am glad that I do not.
 
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andwhat said:
I would imagine that it is much harder to score higher the second time around than the first, as you are fully focused on the test the first time around
Click to expand...

I dunno...the pass rate was higher (slightly) for those recertifying compared to the first-timers...for the U.S. grads, anyway.
 
Blue Dog said:
I dunno...the pass rate was higher (slightly) for those recertifying compared to the first-timers...for the U.S. grads, anyway.
Click to expand...

I should reword that. Second time around is probably approximately the same. Slightly harder to focus, being that there probably is no longer dedicated study time for preparation for the examination second time around.
 
I just passed the first recertification of my FM Boards:). I used the 2007 OSLER Family Medicine Audio and Syllabus Review 6 CD set and Bratton's Family Medicine Board Review book. I started studying 2 months before the August Exam.
I want to sell the CD set for those taking the December exams. Any ideas where I can post it??
Does SDN have a special area to post medical education materials.
Thanks for your help.
 
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I just passed the first recertification of my FM Boards:). I used the 2007 OSLER Family Medicine Audio and Syllabus Review 6 CD set and Bratton's Family Medicine Board Review book. I started studying 2 months before the August Exam.
I want to sell the CD set for those taking the December exams. Any ideas where I can post it??
Does SDN have a special area to post medical education materials.
Thanks for your help.
 
I am in another specialty now but I want to remain boarded in FP. I need to recert in December.

I know that this varies but how much did diplomates who took the test study. Is there a review book that is particularly high yield ?

Thanks,

Cambie
 
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