How ABIM is Supporting Internists at the Beginning of their Certification Journey: Candidates for the 2026 Internal Medicine Certification Exam can Apply for a 50% Fee Reduction

ABIM is pleased to announce a new needs-based pilot program providing a 50% credit for eligible physicians who plan to take the 2026 Internal Medicine Certification Exam. The deadline to apply is October 3, 2025.

Here’s how the ABIM Needs-Based Certification Exam Fee Assistance Pilot Program works:

• First-time candidates for the Internal Medicine Certification Exam are eligible to apply.
• Candidates will complete a short questionnaire and attest to having financial needs or hardships that impact their ability to pay the ABIM examination fee.
• Candidates will need to register separately for the ABIM Internal Medicine Certification Exam during the registration period, which opens December 1, 2025. Those who are awarded the credit will see the cost of the exam reduced by 50% when they register and pay for the exam.

The program is open to all candidates (U.S. medical graduates, international medical graduates, and osteopathic graduates), regardless of medical training background.

For additional information, please see the frequently asked questions document.

ABIM intends to award the credit to as many applicants as possible. Candidates from residency programs that do not already offer funds that can be applied to the cost of the exam will be considered first.

At the conclusion of the pilot, ABIM will conduct an evaluation to assess its success and feasibility, and to refine processes for future implementation.

Each year, ABIM certifies about 10,000 new physicians in internal medicine. A growing body of research shows that patients cared for by a board certified physician have a better prognosis on a host of health outcomes.

“We know that as a profession we simply haven’t done a good enough job of ensuring that there will be enough doctors to care for a growing patient population,” said Furman S. McDonald, MD, MPH, President and CEO of ABIM and the ABIM Foundation. “This pilot program alone won’t solve those challenges, but I believe it will help. It’s the right thing to do, and ABIM is well-positioned to take a leadership role in easing the journey these inspiring young people will take in becoming board certified physicians. I look forward to welcoming them to our ranks soon and hope they will one day feel the same sense of pride and accomplishment we all did upon earning our ABIM certificate.”

ABIM worked closely with many physicians in creating this program and would like to thank the graduate medical education community and all the physicians who took the time to participate in the development of the program.