The ABIM Infectious Disease Board Certification, administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine, evaluates clinical knowledge across ten key domains. The exam covers bacterial diseases, HIV, antimicrobial therapy, viral diseases, travel medicine, fungi, immunocompromised hosts, vaccinations, infection control, and non-infectious syndromes. It serves as the standard for verifying expertise in managing complex infectious conditions in clinical practice, ensuring that board-certified physicians maintain the levels of proficiency required to treat diverse patient populations effectively.
This certification is intended for internal medicine physicians who have completed subspecialty training in infectious diseases. Candidates should possess clinical experience in diagnosing and managing diverse patient populations with complex infections, including those with HIV, fungal infections, or those requiring antimicrobial therapy.
Review the ten exam domains, focusing on the 27% weight assigned to bacterial diseases and 18% to internal medicine syndromes. Utilize official ABIM resources to understand the 240-question format. Practice clinical decision-making for complex cases, including HIV and immunocompromised host management. Allocate time to study antimicrobial therapy and infection prevention protocols to ensure readiness for the 600-minute testing period. Consistent review of these core areas is required for success.
This domain covers the diagnosis and management of bacterial infections, representing the largest portion of the exam content at 27%. It requires an understanding of pathogen identification and the clinical application of various antibiotic resistance management strategies.
This section focuses on HIV infection, including clinical management, antiretroviral therapy, and the prevention of opportunistic infections. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in long-term patient care, monitoring viral loads, and addressing the needs of patients living with HIV.
This domain covers the principles of antimicrobial therapy, including drug selection, dosing, and managing resistance patterns. It emphasizes the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in clinical settings to improve patient outcomes and reduce the development of resistant bacterial strains.
This domain addresses the clinical management of various viral diseases beyond HIV. It requires knowledge of viral infection diagnosis, the use of antiviral treatment strategies, and the management of complications arising from systemic viral illnesses in various patient groups.
This section covers travel-related illnesses and tropical medicine, including prevention and treatment. Candidates must be prepared to diagnose and manage infections acquired during international travel, including parasitic, bacterial, and viral diseases endemic to specific tropical geographic regions.
This domain focuses on the identification and treatment of fungal infections in various patient populations. It covers the diagnostic techniques for fungal pathogens and the appropriate selection of antifungal therapy for both localized and systemic invasive fungal diseases.
This domain addresses infection management in immunocompromised hosts who are not HIV-positive. It covers the assessment of infection risk in patients with underlying medical conditions, transplant recipients, or those receiving immunosuppressive therapies that alter their immune system response.
This domain covers vaccination schedules and the role of immunizations in preventing infectious diseases. It requires knowledge of vaccine administration guidelines, indications for specific patient groups, and the public health impact of immunization programs in controlling infectious disease outbreaks.
This domain focuses on infection prevention and control strategies in healthcare and community settings. It covers the implementation of protocols to reduce healthcare-associated infections, including hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, and the use of personal protective equipment for staff.
This domain covers internal medicine topics and non-infectious syndromes that may mimic or complicate infectious disease presentations. It requires the ability to perform differential diagnoses to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious causes of clinical symptoms in patients.
Arrive prepared for a 600-minute session. Manage your time effectively across the 240 questions. Ensure you are familiar with the testing environment and follow all instructions provided by the American Board of Internal Medicine to maintain your focus throughout the entire day.
The ABIM Infectious Disease Board Certification consists of 240 questions. Candidates should prepare to address this volume of questions within the allotted time frame provided by the American Board of Internal Medicine to ensure all sections are completed.
The American Board of Internal Medicine does not publicly disclose a specific passing score for this certification. Candidates should focus on mastering the ten domains to ensure they meet the required proficiency standards for board certification in this subspecialty.
The exam is 600 minutes long. This duration covers the entire 240-question assessment, requiring candidates to manage their time effectively to complete all sections within the allotted period while maintaining high accuracy across all clinical domains.
For information regarding the current certification path, requirements, and registration, check with the American Board of Internal Medicine. They provide the official guidance for maintaining your status and preparing for the exam requirements for all board-certified infectious disease physicians.
Verified 2026-09-13
This page was built by aggregating official exam documentation from the American Board of Internal Medicine and verified third-party guides to provide a clear overview of the certification requirements, exam structure, and domain weights for medical professionals.