Continue Certification
Self-Assessment
For each completed ABFM-developed Self-Assessment activity, you will earn certification points and Continuing Medical Education (CME), which contributes to your certification requirements. Once you have fulfilled your Self-Assessment activity requirement, you may participate in as many ABFM-developed Self-Assessment activities as you wish, for no additional cost beyond your annual certification fees.
There are four categories of Self-Assessment activities for you to choose from.
Knowledge Self-Assessment
10 Points | 8 CME
The Knowledge Self-Assessment (KSA) activity is focused on evaluating and enhancing your knowledge base in a particular topic area common to family medicine. To successfully complete the assessment, you will need to answer 80% of the total questions correctly. After answering each question, you will be given a critique that explains why the answer you chose is correct or incorrect, a set of references, and the option to comment on the question. After you submit answers to all 60 questions, you will enter review mode where you will have the opportunity to submit new answers to questions marked incorrect until you receive a passing score.
National Journal Club
1 Point | 1 CME (per article)
This service provides convenient access to the latest peer-reviewed articles and the ability to earn valuable certification points and CME that contribute to your stage requirements. Available at no additional charge, National Journal Club features articles from numerous prominent medical journals. Choose from approximately 80 to 100 articles per year, which have been evaluated and ranked by a national committee of family medicine experts according to relevancy, methodological rigor, and impact on practice.
Select and read an article, reflect on what you read, and demonstrate mastery by correctly answering four assessment questions. There are unlimited opportunities to achieve a minimum passing score. If you have already completed your minimum certification activity requirement, you may still enjoy as many articles as you like.
Continuous Knowledge Self-Assessment
2.5 Points | 2.5 CME (per quarter)
The Continuous Knowledge Self-Assessment (CKSA) helps you identify knowledge gaps within the broad spectrum of family medicine. You will receive 25 questions per quarter through your MyABFM Portfolio or ABFM CKSA mobile app that can be completed whenever and wherever it is convenient for you.
After each question you will be given the correct answer, a critique that explains why other options were incorrect, a set of references, and the option to comment on the question. This information allows you to focus on subsequent CME in those areas.
Upon completion of 100 questions over four quarters, you will receive a performance report summarizing your results by the exam blueprint categories, establishing your probability of passing the exam, and analyzing how accurate your confidence was with regard to the correctness of your answer.
Alternative Self-Assessment Activities
Points and CME Vary by Activity
If you’re in need of additional points to complete your stage requirements, consider choosing an alternative activity. ABFM has partnered with many different organizations to offer a broad range of activities.
Alternative activities count toward your certification point requirement; however, they do not fulfill the Self-Assessment activity requirement and may also include an additional cost to participate.
Get Started
To see a full listing of Self-Assessment activities, please visit your MyABFM Portfolio.
