ABFM Family Medicine study guide
ABFM Family Medicine · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Family Medicine Certification is the continuing certification credential for family physicians. Diplomates meet an exam requirement to maintain certification, and under Certification 2025-the Continuous Certification 5-Year Cycle that began transitioning on January 1, 2025-they choose between two formats. The ABFM Family Medicine study guide has 8 sections and about 2,386 words.
01Adult Medicine
Adult medicine questions cluster around chronic disease screening, risk stratification, and antibiotic or anticoagulant decisions. Anchor these numbers: colorectal cancer screening ages 45–75; lung cancer screening with low-dose CT for adults 50–80 with ≥20 pack-years who currently smoke or quit within 15 years; one-time hepatitis C screening ages 18–79; abdominal aortic ultrasound for men 65–75 who have ever smoked; and diabetes screening for adults 35–70 with overweight or obesity.
319 words, about 2 min02Child and Adolescent Medicine
Know the findings that make a milestone abnormal: no social smile by 2 months, no babbling by 6 months, no sitting without support by 9 months, no single words by 16 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, and loss of skills at any age. Regression always warrants evaluation.
313 words, about 2 min03Women's Health and Maternity Care
Folic acid 400 mcg daily (4 mg with prior neural tube defect). Early risk assessment, first-trimester labs, aneuploidy screening, and gestational diabetes screening at 24–28 weeks.
299 words, about 1 min04Geriatric Medicine
Geriatric questions reward restraint. Aging changes drug handling - reduced renal clearance, lower albumin, more adipose tissue - so start low and go slow.
292 words, about 1 min05Behavioral and Mental Health
PHQ-2/PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, AUDIT-C for alcohol, DAST for other substances, and a structured suicide inquiry (such as the C-SSRS) for risk. Screen adolescents and pregnant or postpartum patients as well.
270 words, about 1 min06Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine
Most musculoskeletal complaints resolve without imaging. Acute low back pain without red flags: no imaging in the first 6 weeks, encourage activity, NSAIDs, and reassurance about natural history.
303 words, about 2 min07Emergency and Urgent Care
Airway, breathing, circulation, then targeted history and exam. Anaphylaxis: intramuscular epinephrine 0.3–0.5 mg of 1:1000 into the lateral thigh immediately; antihistamines and steroids are adjuncts and never the first drug.
282 words, about 1 min08Population Health and Community Medicine
Sensitivity is the proportion of diseased patients who test positive; specificity is the proportion of well patients who test negative. Positive predictive value depends on prevalence - a good test applied in a low-prevalence population generates many false positives.
308 words, about 2 min