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The American Board of Internal Medicine says login delays during its Aug. 13 exam led it to issue 371 indeterminate results. Some affected physicians question whether their answers were recorded and their scores are valid; ABIM says scoring was accurate and the results reflect uncertainty about how disruptions may have affected candidates.
The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) issued 371 indeterminate results after login delays disrupted an Aug. 13 internal medicine board exam, prompting some physicians to question whether their answers were recorded and their scores are reliable. ABIM says the scores were accurate and that the indeterminate designation reflects uncertainty about how the disruption may have affected candidates, not a problem with scoring.
Several physicians told MedPage Today that they were locked out of their computers after breaks during the exam. One test-taker in Georgia said it took about an hour and 20 minutes to sign back in. Another candidate reported that answers initially were not recording properly. ABIM acknowledged that a program used by its testing partner, Pearson, to check examinees back in after breaks malfunctioned and that some candidates may have experienced a disruption.
Test-takers did not receive further information until October 22, when results were issued. Some candidates interviewed by MedPage Today said their result was labeled indeterminate and showed a failing score. ABIM told one candidate that the designation reflected uncertainty about the disruption’s effect on the exam-day experience, “not any concern about the completeness of your results or how your test was scored.”
Physicians who spoke to the outlet said their scores were lower than expected based on practice tests. Aaron Gans, MD, said his results were lower across all subject areas and questioned whether the software captured every response. An unnamed candidate and a physician in Georgia also described concerns about answers not saving or scores that differed from their practice performance. Those accounts describe candidates’ experiences and concerns; they do not independently establish that responses were lost or scores were incorrect.
Why the Results Affect Physicians
The exam is a professional credentialing test, so an indeterminate result can affect a physician’s plans even if it is not recorded as a failed attempt. Candidates told MedPage Today they were informed they would have to wait until the next exam cycle to try again, which the report says is expected in August 2027. That delay may require additional preparation and planning for physicians who are already working in clinical settings.
ABIM said it gave a full exam-fee credit to each candidate who received an indeterminate result. It also said it chose that designation rather than a fail because it could not determine how the login delay affected individual performance. The practical effects of the designation, including the wait for another testing opportunity, remain a concern raised by candidates.
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The August Testing Disruption
In an email sent to one affected candidate on August 13, ABIM said the software used by Pearson to check examinees back into the test center after a break had malfunctioned, and that some people may have experienced a disruption. According to the MedPage Today report, candidates received no further update before results were released on October 22.
After the results arrived, candidates described login difficulties and unexpected scores. Some users also posted similar accounts on Reddit, including reports of being locked out or answers not saving. Those posts and individual interviews provide reports of candidate experiences, but the available material does not confirm that response data were lost or that exam scoring was faulty.
“We are confident the scoring was accurate. Our concern was how a delay and the uncertainty around it may have affected a candidate’s concentration.”
— Erica Johnson, MD, ABIM senior vice president for academic and medical affairs
Questions About Response Recording
The available reporting does not establish whether any answers were lost, whether the login problems affected candidates’ scores, or how ABIM verified the completeness of responses for people who experienced disruptions. ABIM maintains that scoring was accurate, while candidates have described concerns based on their test-day experiences and unexpected results. The source material does not include an independent audit or technical account resolving those questions.
It is also unclear whether ABIM will provide additional details about the malfunction or its review of affected exams. The board’s stated concern was the possible impact of delays on concentration, rather than evidence that scoring or response capture failed.
Retesting in the 2027 Cycle
ABIM told affected candidates that it cannot offer retakes before the next testing cycle. The report says the next opportunity is expected in August 2027, with registration set to open December 1, 2026. The board has said candidates who received indeterminate results will receive full credit for the exam fee.
For now, the central unresolved issue is whether the board will release further information addressing candidates’ questions about the disruption and how it reviewed their results. No additional review, retesting schedule, or change to ABIM’s stated position was reported in the source material.
Key Questions
What happened during the Aug. 13 exam?
ABIM acknowledged that software used by its testing partner, Pearson, to check examinees back in after breaks malfunctioned, causing login delays for some candidates.
How many candidates received indeterminate results?
ABIM told MedPage Today it issued 371 indeterminate results associated with login delays on Aug. 13.
Does an indeterminate result mean ABIM found the score was wrong?
ABIM says no. It says scoring was accurate and that the designation reflects uncertainty about how the disruption may have affected a candidate’s exam-day performance. Some candidates have nevertheless questioned whether their responses were recorded.
When can affected candidates take the exam again?
According to the report, ABIM told candidates the next opportunity is in August 2027, and that it cannot accommodate earlier retakes. Registration is scheduled to open Dec. 1, 2026.
Source: medpagetoday.com
