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The American Board of Internal Medicine says 371 results from an Aug. 13 internal medicine board exam were marked indeterminate after login delays affected test-takers returning from breaks. Several physicians told MedPage Today that their results were unexpectedly low and questioned whether their answers were recorded, while ABIM says the scoring was accurate and the designation reflects uncertainty about the disruption’s effect on candidates.
Several physicians are questioning their internal medicine board exam results after the American Board of Internal Medicine said 371 candidates received indeterminate results linked to login delays on Aug. 13. ABIM says the scores were accurate and that the designation reflects uncertainty about how the disruption may have affected candidates, not a problem with scoring or missing exam content.
The disruption occurred when some candidates were unable to log back into their computers after breaks. In an email sent to an affected candidate on Aug. 13, ABIM said software used by its testing partner, Pearson, to check examinees back into the test center had malfunctioned and that some candidates may have experienced a disruption. Candidates interviewed by MedPage Today said they received no further information about the issue before results arrived on Oct. 22.
Some affected physicians said their results were unexpectedly low compared with practice exams. Aaron Gans, MD, told MedPage Today that his scores were lower than he expected across subject areas. Another physician, who took the exam in New York, said she encountered problems both signing back in and recording answers. A candidate in Georgia said she waited about one hour and 20 minutes to regain access after a break and was surprised to receive a failing result after scoring above average on two practice tests.
ABIM told MedPage Today it issued 371 indeterminate results associated with login delays and gave every candidate who received one full credit for the exam fee. Senior Vice President for Academic and Medical Affairs Erica Johnson said the board was concerned that delays and uncertainty could affect concentration. Candidates who received an indeterminate result were told they could retake the exam in the next testing cycle, scheduled for August 2027; registration is due to open Dec. 1, according to one candidate’s account.
How Indeterminate Results Affect Physicians
The designation leaves affected physicians without a standard pass or fail outcome and, according to the candidates interviewed, means waiting until the next scheduled exam cycle to try again. That delay can require additional preparation time for clinicians already balancing work and other responsibilities. One candidate told MedPage Today she believed ABIM should have allowed a retake within the 2026 testing window, which ran from August into September.
The dispute also concerns whether candidates can trust results produced during a test session affected by access problems. Several physicians said their scores differed sharply from their practice-test performance, and some reported that answers initially did not appear to save. Those accounts explain their concerns, but they do not establish that responses were lost or scores were miscalculated. ABIM’s stated reason for the indeterminate designation is the possible effect of a disruption on candidates’ concentration.
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From August Login Delays to October Results
The board exam was administered on Aug. 13. ABIM’s email to an affected candidate that day described a malfunction in the software used to check examinees back in after breaks. The board later issued results on Oct. 22, and candidates who received indeterminate outcomes then learned that a retake would not be available before the next testing cycle.
MedPage Today also reported that users on Reddit described similar experiences, including being locked out or having trouble saving answers. These posts and interview accounts indicate that candidates reported problems, but do not independently confirm how many people experienced each type of issue or whether any exam responses were lost. ABIM’s public figure, as reported by the outlet, is 371 indeterminate results associated with login delays.
“We are confident the scoring was accurate. Our concern was how a delay and the uncertainty around it may have affected a candidate’s concentration.”
— Erica Johnson, MD, ABIM senior vice president for academic and medical affairs
Whether Any Answers Were Lost
The available reporting does not establish whether the login malfunction caused answers to go unrecorded or altered any candidate’s score. Some test-takers said they saw problems with answer recording, while ABIM maintains that scoring was accurate and that the indeterminate results reflect uncertainty about disruption-related effects on concentration. The source material does not describe the board’s technical checks or provide details of an independent review.
It is also unclear how many candidates experienced each reported problem, beyond ABIM’s figure of 371 indeterminate results associated with login delays. The accounts from individual physicians and online posts are not a complete record of all affected examinees. The source does not report whether ABIM plans to publish further technical findings or change its process for handling similar disruptions.
Candidates Face the 2027 Retake
According to the information given to affected candidates and reported by MedPage Today, the next opportunity to retake the exam is in August 2027, with registration opening Dec. 1. ABIM said it cannot offer retakes before the next testing cycle. The fee credit applies to those who received an indeterminate result, but the source does not say whether it covers any other costs or consequences of waiting.
Further information from ABIM about its review of the login disruption, how it assessed the exam records, or any steps to prevent a repeat could clarify the dispute. Until then, the central disagreement remains: candidates have raised concerns based on their experiences and results, while ABIM says the scores are accurate and the designation accounts for uncertainty about the effect of delays.
Key Questions
How many exam results were marked indeterminate?
ABIM told MedPage Today it issued 371 indeterminate results associated with login delays during the Aug. 13 exam.
What caused the reported disruption?
ABIM said software used by testing partner Pearson to check candidates back into the test center after breaks malfunctioned, causing some examinees to experience delays.
Does ABIM say the exam scores were wrong?
No. ABIM said it was confident the scoring was accurate. It described the indeterminate outcome as reflecting uncertainty about how delays may have affected candidates’ concentration, not a scoring concern.
When can affected candidates retake the exam?
Those who received an indeterminate result were told the next retake opportunity is in August 2027. A candidate told MedPage Today that registration opens Dec. 1.
Has it been confirmed that answers were lost?
No. Some candidates reported concerns about answer recording, but the reporting does not confirm that responses were lost. ABIM says the scoring was accurate; further technical details are not included in the source material.
Source: medpagetoday.com
