ABFM HALM case studies
ABFM HALM · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ABFM Health and Life Maintenance (HALM) exam is a multiple-choice assessment built around the preventive and chronic-care work that fills most primary care visits: screening and immunization schedules, hypertension and lipid management, diabetes and metabolic risk, respiratory and mental health, musculoskeletal complaints, sex- and age-specific care, geriatrics, pediatrics, lifestyle counseling, and population-level health maintenance. It suits family physicians, primary care clinicians, residents preparing for independent practice, and advanced practice providers who want structured confirmation that their preventive-care knowledge is current. The ABFM HALM case studies are 5 cases and about 1,707 words.
1The 74-Year-Old with New AFib and a Fall Risk
A 74-year-old woman with hypertension, type 2 diabetes (A1c 7.4%), and osteopenia presents after a near-fall in her kitchen. She has no prior falls and no syncope.
391 words, about 2 min2The 52-Year-Old with Prediabetes Who Wants 'the Shot'
A 52-year-old man with BMI 33, A1c 6.2%, and a strong family history of type 2 diabetes asks about a GLP-1 medication he saw advertised for weight loss. He has no diabetes, no pancreatitis history, and no personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2.
346 words, about 2 min3The 8-Year-Old with Recurrent Wheeze and a Normal Spirometry
An 8-year-old boy has had four episodes of nighttime cough and wheeze in the past year, each lasting about a week, worse with colds and after soccer. He has no eczema, no food allergy, and no family history of asthma.
318 words, about 2 min4The 68-Year-Old on 11 Medications After a Hospital Stay
A 68-year-old woman is seen 2 weeks after a heart failure admission. Discharge medications: furosemide 40 mg daily, carvedilol 6.25 mg BID, sacubitril/valsartan 24/26 BID, spironolactone 25 mg, atorvastatin 40 mg, aspirin 81 mg, metformin 500 mg BID, omeprazole 20 mg, gabapentin 300 mg TID for neuropathy, zolpidem 5 mg nightly, and oxybutynin 5 mg daily for urgency.
339 words, about 2 min5The 34-Year-Old with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding and a Normal Pelvic Exam
A 34-year-old woman, G2P2, presents with 3 months of heavy, irregular menses-bleeding 8–9 days with clots, soaking a pad every 2 hours on the heaviest days. She has no intermenstrual bleeding, no postcoital bleeding, and a normal pelvic exam.
313 words, about 2 min