Time to Reexamine the American Board of Internal Medicine

Abstract

We appreciate Glaser's comments regarding board certification affecting medical student interest in internal medicine. 1 While many senior students review residency program data regarding the passage of the American Board of Internal Medicine examination, we are not aware of students not choosing a career in internal medicine because of such concerns. Although the overall passage rate in 1993 was 54%, when you review the statistics looking at US and Canadian physicians taking the examination for the first time, the passage rate for 1993 is much higher, at 75%, and this rate has been consistently maintained over the years. 2 The American Board of Internal Medicine considers the examination for certification in internal medicine a standard of excellence rather than a standard of competence. Certainly, there are outstanding internists who have difficulty with certifying examinations that, unfortunately, may limit their practice opportunities. However, we do not believe that the examination statistics,