ABOM exam format and pass rates, year by year
Verified against abom.org · July 15, 2026
The format
- 200 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions, delivered as four one-hour blocks of 50 at Pearson VUE test centers, once per year.
- A score of approximately 70% is typically needed to pass; results arrive about ten weeks after the testing window closes.
- Questions are clinically stemmed — patient vignettes, not recall trivia — which is why practicing in the exact format matters.
First-time pass rates
| Year | Physician candidates | First-time pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,257 | 87.4% |
| 2023 (Jan) | — | 86.3% |
| 2023 (Dec) | 1,889 (yr) | 91.1% |
| 2024 | 2,105 | 93.7% |
| 2025 | 2,510 | 88.8% |
How to read those numbers
Candidate volume has doubled since 2022 — obesity medicine is the fastest-growing certification in medicine — and the 2025 pass rate dipped to 88.8% as the candidate pool broadened. Roughly 1 in 9 first-time candidates now fails a $1,500–$1,750 exam offered only once a year. Notably, ABOM reports that nearly 70% of new diplomates have been practicing obesity medicine for under two years: most candidates are pivoting into the field, studying alongside a full clinical load. That’s exactly the situation where a diagnostic-driven plan beats another stack of unscheduled questions.
Take the free timed diagnostic to see your domain-by-domain baseline — then check your eligibility before you plan your study calendar.
Sources: ABOM Stats & Data, Candidate Information Guide, and annual results announcements (abom.org), accessed July 15, 2026.