Description of Examinations

All examinations are administered via computer. The examinations require no special computer skills or experience, and a practice session is held before the certification examination begins. It is important that candidates read and understand all material sent in advance by the ABP.

Anatomic Pathology

The anatomic pathology examination is a one-day examination and consists of three sections—written, practical, and microscopic. To be successful in the examination, the candidate must pass each section of the examination as well as the examination as a whole.

1. The written examination consists of 150 multiple choice questions and has a time limit of 2½ hours. Theoretic, interpretive, and statistical aspects of anatomic pathology are covered. It includes questions on cytopathology, cytogenetics, immunopathology, molecular pathology, special anatomic procedures, prenatal and pediatric pathology, forensic pathology, quality assurance, consultation, and laboratory safety, regulations, management, and informatics. Some questions may have electron micrographs, karyotypes, pedigrees, or other illustrations. Extended matching or cluster (related) questions may also be used. Full instructions will appear on the computer screen.



2. The practical examination with images consists of 100 questions and has a time limit of 1½ hours. The material includes gross specimens, histochemical preparations, immunopathology preparations, special tissue sections, cytopathologic smears and specimens, and molecular pathology preparations. Images appear on the screen with the questions.


The cytopathology images may include material from any anatomic site as well as from aspiration biopsies. Multiple choice questions regarding malignant changes, phases of the menstrual cycle, infestation or infection, various artifacts in preparations, etiology, pathogenesis, and treatment are included.


3. The microscopic examination consists of 75 questions and has a time limit of 3½ hours (less than 3 minutes per question). All aspects of surgical and necropsy pathology are covered. The questions are multiple choice; the single correct answer for each question is based on the correct diagnosis and clinical implication of the appropriate microscopic slide or virtual image.


A part of the examination includes questions utilizing virtual microscopy instead of glass slides. A practice virtual microscope system is available on the ABP Web site (www.abpath.org). Once the computer ends the examination, it is not possible to return to it. Candidates should pace themselves accordingly.

The other questions utilize microscopic slides of histopathologic preparations. Each candidate is given a box (labeled A, B, or C) containing an equal number of slides. The candidate answers the questions corresponding to the numbers on the slides. After answering the first set of questions, the candidate returns the box of slides to the proctor in exchange for another box. This process is repeated so that each candidate examines three boxes of slides and answers all microscopic slide questions. There is no opportunity to review slides once a box is returned to the proctor. Once the computer ends the examination, it is not possible to return to it. Candidates should pace themselves according.

The clinical pathology examination is a one-day examination and consists of three sections—written, practical with images, and practical. To be successful in the examination, the candidate must pass each section of the examination as well as the examination as a whole.

The subject content includes chemical pathology, blood banking/transfusion medicine, immunopathology, medical microscopy, cytogenetics, medical genetics, molecular pathology, hematology, medical microbiology, medical parasitology, quality assurance, consultation, and laboratory safety, regulations, management, and informatics. A given topic may appear on any or all of the three examinations.

1. The written examination consists of 180 multiple choice questions and has a time limit of 3 hours. It examines the theoretic, interpretive, clinical, and statistical aspects of clinical pathology. Questions on quality assurance and laboratory safety, regulations, management, and informatics may be included.



2. The practical examination with images consists of 90 multiple choice questions and has a time limit of 1½ hours. The questions relate to images concerning practical interpretive aspects in all areas of clinical pathology including medical microscopy, medical microbiology, medical parasitology, immunopathology, and medical genetics.
   
   Medical microscopy questions include findings on urinalysis; on examination of spinal fluid, joint fluid, semen, duodenal and gastric material, feces, and amniotic fluid; and on other laboratory tests involving blood and blood pigments as well as tests related to pregnancy and basal metabolism.
   
   Medical genetics questions include images and photographic prints of karyotypes, abnormal chromosomes, pedigrees, and patient phenotypes.
   
   Hematology questions include bone marrow smears, peripheral blood smears, coagulation tests, and electron microscopic and histologic tissue sections.
   
   Medical microbiology questions are related to the diagnosis and interpretation of preparations such as bacterial colonies on various media, histologic tissue sections, electron microscopy preparations, agglutinations, and various other preparations of the type encountered in a laboratory for diagnostic microbiology.
   
   Medical parasitology questions are related to preparations of ova, larvae, and other forms of parasites in smears and tissue sections and the natural history of the parasitic diseases.



3. The practical examination consists of 90 multiple choice questions, has a time limit of 2½ hours, and concerns the practical aspects of diagnosis and interpretation in all areas of clinical pathology. The examination includes illustrative material in the form of graphs, tables, charts, diagrams, karyotypes, abnormal chromosomes, pedigrees, panels, and formulas. Emphasis is given to chemical pathology, blood banking/transfusion medicine, immunopathology, medical microscopy, and cytogenetics. Questions regarding tissue typing, transfusion problems, parentage problems, coagulation problems, and serological testing may be included.

This page was last modified on October 6, 2003.