ABD Dermatology study guide
ABD Dermatology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Board of Dermatology (ABD) is an independent, non-profit medical specialty board and one of 24 boards that make up the American Board of Medical Specialties. Its stated mission is to serve the public and the profession by setting high standards for dermatologists to earn and maintain Board certification, certifying that diplomates have the knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality, safe, and effective dermatologic care. The ABD Dermatology study guide has 6 sections and about 1,596 words.
01Basic Science Foundations of Dermatology
Basic dermatology questions reward a structural, layered view of skin. Know the epidermal maturation sequence (basal → spinous → granular → cornified), the meaning of orthokeratosis versus parakeratosis, and which cells sit where (melanocytes in the basal layer, Langerhans cells in the spinous layer, Merkel cells at the basal layer).
318 words, about 2 min02Core Clinical Dermatology
Core questions test morphologic description and pattern recognition. Be fluent in primary lesions (macule, papule, plaque, nodule, vesicle, bulla, pustule, wheal) and secondary changes (scale, crust, erosion, ulcer, lichenification, atrophy).
256 words, about 1 min03Applied Dermatology: Therapy and Procedures
Applied questions test practical decision-making. Know topical corticosteroid potency classes and site-specific selection (low potency for face/flexures, high potency for palms/soles).
266 words, about 1 min04Dermatopathology Subspecialty
Dermatopathology questions test pattern recognition at low and high power. Start with architecture: is the process epidermal, dermal, or both?
260 words, about 1 min05Pediatric Dermatology Subspecialty
Pediatric questions emphasize age-specific presentations. Know transient neonatal eruptions: erythema toxicum neonatorum (eosinophils, sterile pustules), milia, miliaria, and neonatal acne.
259 words, about 1 min06MDS Subspecialty: Medical Dermatology and Systemic Disease
MDS questions test the skin manifestations of internal disease and complex medical dermatology. Know paraneoplastic syndromes (acanthosis nigricans, dermatomyositis, Sweet syndrome), connective tissue diseases (lupus, dermatomyositis, scleroderma), and vasculitis patterns (leukocytoclastic, IgA vasculitis, ANCA-associated).
237 words, about 1 min