Out with the Old… In with the New

Still Prepping for the Old Oral Boards? Read This First

In early 2026, the American Board of Emergency Medicine launched the new certifying exam to replace the old oral boards, the final step for board certification. This new exam is in-person, administered only in Raleigh, North Carolina, and features several new styles of cases never before seen.

First, candidates will be responsible for demonstrating procedures on task trainers under the direct eye of their physician examiners.

ABEM’s published list of testable procedures can be viewed here. While most procedures on the list are frequently performed on the average shift of an emergency physician, there are some noticeable low occurence procedures that most candidates will need to review thoroughly; such as: pericardiocentesis, neonatal and pediatric resuscitation, slit lamp examination, newborn delivery, femoral nerve block, umbilical vessel catheterization, among others.

Second, candidates will also be responsible for performing ultrasound on standardized patients or task trainers under the eye of physician examiners.

ABEM’s published list of testable ultrasound studies can be viewed here. Again, while most ultrasound studies are frequently performed on the average shift of an emergency physician, there are some that may require additional review. Resuscitative ultrasound and procedural ultrasounds are also included on the list. Of note, ABEM plans to add regional anesthesia to the list in the near future.

Third, candidates will also be tested with new communication cases.

There are four types of communication cases: reassessment, difficult conversations, managing conflict, and patient-centered communications. While the average emergency physician should be competent in these fields of communciation, understanding how these cases are scored may certainly make all the difference for some candidates.

Fourth, candidates will also be tested with prioritization cases, also known as tracking board cases.

Candidates will be presented with a tracking board containing multiple patients and they will be expected to triage and determine immediate actions, all while minding additional patient arrivals to the emergency department mid-case.

The only remnant from the old oral boards that has been carried over to the new certifying exam, are the clinical decision making cases, which will require candidates to discuss the history, physical exam, immediate actions, orders, and/or disposition of a single patient.

While the new exam format may be intimidating for some, know that most candidates are already preparing for their certifying exam each time they show up on shift and take care of real life patients. For those that would like additional preparation, additional resources can be found on ABEM’s website.

For additional study tips and ABEM certifying exam news, please subscribe to our email list by submitting an inquiry or emailing info@dooneboardprep.com.