ABPS Anesthesiology (BCA)

Two examinations, in a fixed order. Applicants who are deemed eligible must successfully complete a written exam and an oral exam. The written exam is 200 multiple-choice items given in a four-hour session, and candidates must pass it before they may take the oral component.

One hundred items per hour - about 72 seconds per question across the four-hour session. That is generous for well-prepared candidates and unforgiving if you linger on a hard item. Build timed blocks of 50 items into your practice so pacing is automatic rather than something you manage on exam day.

No. The sequencing is explicit: candidates must pass the written exam in order to take the oral component. Plan two separate hurdles and do not schedule oral preparation for a window that depends on a written score you have not yet received.

Eight years. Once granted, all ABPS certificates are good for a period of eight years, expiring on December 31 of the eighth year. Recertification is handled separately, with its own requirements and fee schedule published by ABPS. Track your expiration from the year certification was granted.

Completion of a PGY-1 program or accredited internship plus an ACGME- or AOA-accredited anesthesiology residency, or one accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; 25 anesthesia case reports including the redacted anesthesia record sheet, no older than twelve months from the date ABPS receives your application; a chronological CV; and two letters of recommendation from Diplomates of an ABPS, ABMS, AOA, RCPSC, or CFPC board.

ABPS maintains a separate Examination Description page for the subject areas, but the anesthesiology pages we verified describe scope only generally - success indicates mastery of anesthesiology skills and knowledge. They do not state topic weights in the text available to us, so we print none. This bank is organized into ten domains, from basic sciences through patient safety and professional practice.

ABPS does not state a passing score or a published pass rate on the pages we verified, so we report neither. Treat any specific number you encounter elsewhere as unverified until ABPS confirms it directly. Prepare to a high, broad standard rather than to a guessed cut score.

The source pages verified here do not describe a retake policy - no permitted number of attempts, waiting period, or associated fee is stated. Confirm this directly with ABPS before building a timeline that assumes a second sitting. We mark the item unverified rather than guess.

Two avoidable places. Pacing first: one item held too long costs two easier items later in the session. Documentation second: case reports must include the redacted anesthesia record sheet and must be no older than twelve months from the date ABPS receives your application, so reports assembled too early become unusable and delay the whole application.