ABIM Internal Medicine exam day guide
The ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Exam takes about 10 hours at a Pearson VUE test center, in four sessions of up to 60 multiple-choice questions each. You get 100 minutes of break time to split across three breaks, plus an optional 30-minute tutorial at the start.
From ABIM’s Internal Medicine exam information page and its subspecialty exam-day pages. Checked October 12, 2026.
The schedule
| Part | Time |
|---|---|
| Tutorial | Optional, up to 30 minutes |
| Instructions and pledge of honesty | Up to 10 minutes |
| Sessions 1-4 | Up to 60 questions each |
| Breaks | 100 minutes total, between sessions |
| Survey | Optional, up to 10 minutes |
From ABIM’s exam-day schedule.
Things to know
- Break time is shared. Any break you take is subtracted from the 100 minutes; a 10-minute break after session one leaves 90.
- Leaving mid-session costs exam time, because the clock keeps running.
- Book early. Pearson VUE fills appointments first come, first served; call 1-800-601-3549 with your ABIM ID if you prefer the phone.
- Do ABIM’s tutorial beforehand to learn the interface.
Common questions
Is it ever more than one day?
For Internal Medicine, no. Cardiovascular Disease candidates have two extra sessions on a separate day, per ABIM.
Official source & community discussion
ABIM: Internal Medicine exam information (official) →
See related questions on Quora →