In-service Exam FAQsGeneral InformationAvailable ExamsWhen is the exam administered? Exam Administration FeesHow much does the exam cost? Exam DevelopmentExam RegistrationHow do I register my Fellows? Exam AdministrationHow is the exam administered? Exam ResultsWhat type of feedback will my Fellows and my Program receive? 2021 Important Dates
*To be eligible to retake the In-service Exam the Fellow must have taken the initial exam in either April/May or July of 2021.
When is the exam administered?1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year Fellow exams are administered the last week of April and first week of May of each year.
Is there more than one exam?The APCCMPD develops and administers two exams: Are the exams the same for all fellowship years?Yes, the Incoming, 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year Fellows all take the same Critical Care or Pulmonary/Critical Care In-service Exam. Every year exam questions are reviewed. Exam questions are added and retired based on review of scores. How many questions are on each exam and are they computer-based?Both the Critical Care and Pulmonary/Critical Care Exam are computer-based and contain 150 questions. What is the value of the exam to the Program Director and Faculty?Each exam has been developed as a “low stakes” examination and not to be used for promotion. The exams:
What value are the exams to the Fellows?
How much does the exam cost?Pulmonary/Critical Care In-Service Exam
Critical Care In-Service Exam
Can the Program Director take the exam?Program Directors who register their fellows will be able to register to take the complimentary examination. How was the examination developed?
How do I register my Fellows?In January of each year all APCCMPD members and ACGME-accredited Pulmonary, Critical Care, and combined Program Directors are sent a link requesting them to identify a Primary Contact. Once the registration period opens Primary Contacts will be e-mailed a link allowing them to access a secure online portal. Each Primary Contact will be provided with a unique Username and Password to access the registration portal. If my program is not ACGME-accredited, or my program is located outside of the United States, can I still register my Fellows?Yes, non-ACGME-accredited programs and international programs can register to take the exam. Please contact [email protected] to register. Is my Username and Password the same to register Incoming Fellows in June?Yes, Primary Contacts should use the same Username and Password used to register the 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year Fellows. Why should I assign a Primary Contact?Your Primary Contact will receive all correspondence on the exam. This includes:
Your Primary Contact is also responsible for ensuring the exam is proctored in your local university testing center or other secured environment. The Primary Contact must be authorized by the Program Director, since exam scores will be shared with the Primary Contact. Can the Program Director serve as the Primary Contact?Yes, Program Directors can serve as the Primary Contact or you can assign another individual. Many Program Directors assign the Program Coordinator to this role. How do I assign a Primary Contact?By default, the Program Director is Primary Contact until a different individual is authorized. In January of each year all APCCMPD members and ACGME-accredited Pulmonary, Critical Care, and combined Program Directors are sent a link requesting them to identify a Primary Contact. If you are did not receive the link, are non-ACGME accredited program, or an international program please contact [email protected] to identify your Primary Contact. What if I did not assign a Primary Contact?By default, the Program Director is Primary Contact until a different individual is authorized. How is the exam administered?The exam is administered as a 3-hour, computer-based examination via the Internet. This is a proctored exam. Therefore, programs should arrange a location where all exam takers can take the exam together (or in groups) under the supervision of a proctor. Information on how to administer the exam will be provided to programs that register. Every effort should be made to:
For more information, please contact [email protected] for a copy of the APCCMPD Exam Administration Procedure Manual. Do we really need to proctor the exam?Yes, this is a proctored exam. Therefore, programs should arrange a location where all exam takers can take the exam together (or in groups) under the supervision of a proctor. For more information, please review the APCCMPD Exam Administration Procedure Manual. Every effort should be made to:
If the APCCMPD discovers that a program did not proctor the exam the program could be prohibited from administering the exam in the future. What type of feedback will my Fellows and my program receive?Approximately two weeks after the administration window, Primary Contacts will receive each Fellow’s exam results, broken down by content areas. The Program Directors will also have access to separate group summary reports that will provide a comparison of each fellow’s results to national averages by year, as well as a comparison of all Fellows from that program to national averages. It is the Program Director's responsibility to share individual results with their Fellows. Has the exam been validated with pass rates for the ABIM Board Licensure exams?There is also a research protocol that has been IRB approved, which will include comparing the examination to Fellow board scores and a program’s curriculum content. More information will be provided, as the data is available. |