Passing the emergency medicine written certification examination is an impor- tant milestone in the process of becoming a board certified emergency physi- cian. The written exam, formerly called the Written Certification Examination and now referred to by the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) as the “Qualifying Examination,” is used to identify candidates who are ready to take the oral exam, the final step in becoming board certified. The Qualifying Examination measures core knowledge, and, to many who must take it, it is an intimidating hurdle. Every year approximately ten percent of examinees fail the test and must retake it the following year. Given that many test takers.
