Everything You Need to Know about the Neurology Board Exam

Preparation for the ABPN neurology board exam requires more than a strategic study approach. With our guide, residents will gain a comprehensive understanding of the board exam, its content, and how to pass. Here’s what you need to know.

The neurology board exam is administered by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) to award passing candidates a certification. The board exam consists of stand-alone multiple-choice questions and linked-item sets with 2 to 10 multiple-choice questions linked to a common cause. It covers neurologic disorders and topics as well as physician competencies and mechanisms. 

Neurology Board Exam Blueprint

The board exam for neurology consists of two-dimensional content specifications. The blueprint for the exam is as follows: 

Neurologic Disorders and Topics

• Headache and pain disorders
• Epilepsy and episodic disorders
• Sleep disorders
• Genetic and developmental disorders
• Vascular neurology 
• Neuromuscular diseases
• Movement disorders 
• Demyelinating diseases
• Neuroinfectious diseases
• Brain and spinal trauma and spinal diseases
• Neuro-ophthalmologic and neuro-otologic disorders
• Metabolic diseases, nutritional deficiency states, and disorders due to toxins, drugs, and physical agents
• Neuro-oncologic disorders
• Behavioral neurology and neurocognitive disorders
• Psychiatric disorders 
• Autonomic nervous system disorders
• Questions not associated with a specific neurologic disorder
• Neuroimmunologic and paraneoplastic CNS disorders

Physician Competencies and Mechanisms

• Neuroscience and mechanism of disease
• Clinical aspects of neurologic disease
• Diagnostic procedures 
• Treatment/Management 
• Interpersonal and communication skills 
• Professionalism 
• Practice-based learning and improvement
• Systems-based practice

View the full content outline on abpn.org.

Use the RITE Exam to Prepare

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) offers a residency in-service training examination (RITE) that allows neurology residents to assess their knowledge, view potential areas for growth, and track progress. RITE’s content outline and exam format aligns with the ABPN neurology board exam, and positive performance on the RITE is a forecaster for success on the boards. The RITE is helpful because it mirrors the exam environment, and residents have access to a downloadable discussion and reference manual for explanations of every question after completion. 

Popular Neurology Study Resources

1. Review books

Residents often choose to stick to the books. Popular review titles are Mayo Clinic Neurology Board Review Comprehensive by Kelly D. Flemming and Review in Clinical Neurology: A Multiple Choice Book for the Wards and Boards by Esteban Cheng-Ching.

2. Question banks

Question banks are a smart and favored choice for residents to practice for the ABPN board exam. TrueLearn’s ABPN neurology question bank is written by experts and mapped to the ABPN blueprint. With 850+ practice questions, residents can prepare to pass on their first attempt. 

3. Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology

Continuum is AAN’s topic-based neurology clinical review and subject matter expert journal. Subscribers can read Continuum for clinical review or listen to the Continuum podcast on Spotify or Apple at their convenience.

How Long Do I Need to Study for the Exam?

It is common to map out 3-6 months of studying for the neurology board exam, but some might require more time to prepare. Your timeline will depend on your study style, daily schedule, and testing date. Be sure to go through the content outline and test your knowledge in every section to prepare adequately.

Top 5 Things You Need to Know If You’re Taking The Exam

1. When to take the exam. The neurology certification exam typically occurs mid-September, with application deadlines in early April. The exact days vary year to year, so be sure to watch abpn.org for the latest information.
2. Exam pass rate. The ABPN neurology board’s pass rate for first-time test takers in 2022 was 82%! From 2018 through 2022, the pass rate was 87%.
3. How long is the exam? The exam is 7 hours and 10 minutes long. 10 minutes are allotted for the non-disclosure agreement, tutorial, and end-of-exam survey. The 7 hours of testing time includes 400 exam questions across 8 sections. In addition to testing time, you have 50 minutes maximum of pooled, optional breaks. These breaks are offered between each section.
4. How much does it cost? The initial certification examination fee is $1,945, and the annual fees for continuing certification start at $175. View the ABPN fee schedule for further information. 
5. What happens if you fail? You can take the exam as many times as allowed during the 7-year period after graduation. Remember, exams are only offered once a year. The best way to prevent failure is to study, practice, and utilize a reliable question bank. In fact, TrueLearn offers a pass guarantee on 90-day or longer subscriptions!

Prepare for Success with TrueLearn

Purchase a subscription to review and practice 850+ test items mapped to the ABPN neurology blueprint. Written by content experts, TrueLearn offers performance analytics and real-time national benchmarking so you can self-assess and re-evaluate your study goals. Check out the Neurology Certification SmartBank today.