ABPS Family Medicine (BCFM) study guide
ABPS Family Medicine (BCFM) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ABPS Family Medicine (BCFM) certification is a board credential for physicians who practice comprehensive primary care across the lifespan. It is offered by the American Board of Physician Specialties and is typically pursued by family physicians seeking board certification through that pathway, including those in ambulatory, hospital, and urgent care settings. The ABPS Family Medicine (BCFM) study guide has 10 sections and about 2,709 words.
01Adult Medicine
Adult medicine questions test organized reasoning about common chronic disease, acute presentations, and drug safety. Know the diagnostic thresholds that anchor care: diabetes (A1c ≥6.5%, fasting glucose ≥126, or 2-hour OGTT ≥200), hypertension (≥130/80 by current US guidance, confirmed on repeat measurement), and hyperlipidemia risk stratification by 10-year ASCVD risk.
300 words, about 2 min02Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Pediatric questions reward developmental and age-specific reasoning: weight-based dosing, normal vital sign ranges by age, and immunization schedules. Master milestone surveillance, growth chart interpretation (crossing two major percentile lines is a red flag), and the difference between physiologic and pathologic jaundice in the newborn.
266 words, about 1 min03Obstetrics and Gynecology / Women's Health
OB/GYN content spans prenatal care, labor, contraception, and gynecologic pathology. Know prenatal visit cadence and screening timelines: first-trimester labs, 11–14 week nuchal translucency/cell-free DNA, 24–28 week glucose tolerance testing, and group B strep screening at 36–37 weeks.
269 words, about 1 min04Geriatrics
Geriatric medicine centers on function, not just disease. The geriatric syndromes-falls, delirium, incontinence, frailty, and polypharmacy-drive most exam questions.
251 words, about 1 min05Behavioral and Mental Health
Behavioral health questions test recognition, safety assessment, and first-line treatment. Know screening tools (PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, AUDIT-C for alcohol, C-SSRS concepts for suicide risk) and when to escalate.
268 words, about 1 min06Community Medicine
Community medicine asks you to think at the population level: epidemiology, screening principles, and social determinants of health. Understand sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and how prevalence changes PPV.
248 words, about 1 min07Preventive Care and Health Promotion
Preventive care questions test immunization schedules, cancer screening intervals, and counseling. Know adult vaccination: influenza annually, Tdap every 10 years (and each pregnancy), shingles at 50, pneumococcal by risk/age, and COVID per current guidance.
235 words, about 1 min08Emergency and Urgent Care
Emergency medicine rewards rapid triage and pattern recognition. Master ABCs, shock recognition, and time-critical diagnoses: STEMI, stroke, sepsis, anaphylaxis, and pulmonary embolism.
222 words, about 1 min09Surgery and Procedural Skills
Procedural questions test informed consent, sterile technique, local anesthesia, and recognition of complications. Know the steps of common office procedures: incision and drainage, laceration repair, joint injection, and skin biopsy.
213 words, about 1 min10Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine
MSK questions test anatomic localization, red flags, and conservative management. Know the difference between inflammatory and mechanical pain, and recognize red flags: fever, weight loss, night pain, neurologic deficits, and bowel/bladder changes (cauda equina).
437 words, about 2 min