Cardiology Board Review Questions and Answers

Information about the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Exam:

In order to become a certified cardiovascular disease specialist, you must meet the expected criteria in the areas of your knowledge, diagnostic reasoning and clinical judgment skills in the broad domain of the discipline. You will be assessed on your ability to make appropriate diagnostic and management decisions that directly affect your patients.

What is the format of the ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Exam?

The ABIM Cardiovascular Disease Certification Exam lasts one and one-half days and consists of two parts: The Multiple-Choice Component and the ECG and Imaging Studies Component.

Multiple-Choice Component

The first day of the exam is comprised of multiple-choice questions (MCQ) in single best answer format and is administered in four two-hour sessions. The ABIM recommends familiarizing yourself with question formats using the ABIM Exam Tutorial.

ECG and Imaging Studies Component

The second day of the exam is administered in two sessions and is devoted to the interpretation of electrocardiograms and imaging studies cases. The questions in this component of the exam are special question formats that require diagnostic interpretation of electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and coronary angiograms. The ABIM provides sample cases of electrocardiograms and imaging studies.

When taking the ECG and Imaging Studies component of the Certification Examination, you will be provided with an answer option list for each case. At the top of each answer option list will be a patient description as well as a button to access any relevant images that will help you identify any abnormalities. You want to make sure you do this first before attempting to find and select the appropriate answer(s). Only identify definite findings that are clearly apparent and significant to patient management. You have to be careful as a correct selection may be invalidated if you choose inapplicable options that lead to incorrect or dangerous management of your patient, if you select an option that could not coexist with the correct finding or if you select more options than considered appropriate.

What is covered on the American College of Cardiology In-Training Exam (ACC-ITE)?

According to the ACC-ITE Blueprint, the following content areas are covered:

• Arrhythmias: 15%
• Coronary Artery Disease: 21.5%
• Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy: 17%
• Valvular Disease: 15%
• Pericardial Disease: 4%
• Congenital Heart Disease: 5%
• Vascular Diseases: 6%
• Systemic Hypertension and Hypotension: 7.5%
• Pulmonary Circulation Disorders: 3%
• Systemic Disorders Affecting the Circulatory System: 4%
• Normal Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology: 2%