ABPath Chemical Pathology

It is a one-day, computer-based examination made up of combined Written and Practical questions in each section. All questions are multiple-choice in the one-best-answer format, and the practical portion uses graphs, charts, formulas, diagrams, tables, or other images.

The ABPath exam description lists 270 questions and a total time of 6 hours and 18 minutes. Because written and practical items are mixed within each section, plan your pacing across the whole day rather than assuming a separate practical block.

Yes. Per ABPath, a candidate must pass both the written and the practical portions of the examination in the same administration in order to pass the examination. A strong performance on one portion does not compensate for a failing performance on the other.

ABPath lists subject areas including laboratory administration and management, patient preparation and specimen collection, standards and units of measurement, calculations and statistics, quality control, instrumentation, analytic methods, disorders of metabolism, electrolyte and acid/base disorders, serum protein and hemoglobin abnormalities, coagulation and hemostasis, and clinical laboratory evaluation of organ and systemic diseases, reproduction and newborn screening, point-of-care testing, infectious disease serology and immune disorders, toxicology and therapeutic drug monitoring, and patient care decision-making and consultation.

ABPath states the questions measure both a body of knowledge and problem-solving ability, so recall alone is insufficient. The practical items with formulas, tables, and charts reward candidates who can apply concepts quickly. Difficulty is subjective, but quantitative reasoning and quality-control interpretation are common pressure points.

Two recurring mistakes are treating the exam as pure clinical chemistry and neglecting management, statistics, and quality control, and practicing calculation-free review. Because practical questions include formulas and tables, work through quantitative problems under time pressure rather than only reading about them.

Start with the analytic foundation: units, calculations and statistics, quality control, and instrumentation, since these skills recur inside clinical items. Then move through method-based topics into organ-system and disorder content, finishing with consultation, toxicology, and point-of-care testing. Reserve time for timed mixed-topic practice.

Application procedures, deadlines, and fees are set by ABPath and are not published on this page. Consult the ABPath subspecialty exam dates, deadlines, and fees page and the Booklet of Information, and apply through the board's PATHway system. This site is independent and not affiliated with ABPath.

Retake eligibility and any limits are governed by ABPath policies, which are not detailed on this page. Review the Unsuccessful Candidates and Booklet of Information sections on the ABPath site for the current rules before planning a repeat attempt.