ABIM — Gastroenterology & Transplant Hepatology
Route Overview
American specialty certification follows residency. Each board examines in two stages — a Qualifying Examination (written) and a Certifying Examination (oral or clinical) — and they are separate examinations with separate preparation.
Two Separate ABIM Certifications
Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology are separate ABIM subspecialty certifications, each with its own examination. ABIM examines each in a single knowledge examination — there is no oral or clinical stage.
Exam Specification
| Feature | Gastroenterology | Transplant Hepatology |
|---|---|---|
| Official name | Gastroenterology Certification Examination | Transplant Hepatology Certification Examination |
| Format | Up to 60 multiple-choice questions in each of four sessions | Up to 60 multiple-choice questions in each of four sessions |
| Testing time | Approximately 10 hours, with 100 minutes of break time | Approximately 10 hours, with 100 minutes of break time |
| Vendor | Pearson VUE | Pearson VUE |
| Frequency | Once a year — 4 November 2026; 16 November 2027 | Even-numbered years only |
| Pass standard | An absolute standard. The cut score is not published | An absolute standard. The cut score is not published |
| Eligibility | ABIM certification in Internal Medicine and 36 months of accredited gastroenterology fellowship training, 18 of them clinical | ABIM certification in Gastroenterology and 12 months of accredited clinical transplant hepatology training |
| First-time pass rate | 94% (2025) | 93% (2024) |
Content Blueprint — Gastroenterology
Official blueprint — published by ABIM, January 2026, applicable from the Fall 2026 examination.
| Domain | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Liver Disorders | 20% |
| Procedures and Periprocedural Issues | 13% |
| Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Other Immune-Related Disorders | 10% |
| Neoplastic Disorders | 10% |
| Pancreas and Biliary Tract Disorders | 9.5% |
| Gastric and Duodenal Disorders | 8% |
| Other Disorders | 7.5% |
| Esophageal Disorders | 7% |
| Disorders of Gut–Brain Interaction | 6% |
| Motility Disorders | 5% |
| Nutrition | 4% |
Content Blueprint — Transplant Hepatology
Official blueprint — published by ABIM, January 2026, applicable from the Fall 2026 examination.
| Domain | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Advanced Hepatology and Pretransplant | 55% |
| Post-transplant | 20% |
| Peritransplant | 14% |
| Transplant Immunology | 6% |
| Ethics and Regulatory Issues | 5% |
What we offer
ABIM Gastroenterology certification examination preparation built to the official ABIM blueprint, with Transplant Hepatology preparation for gastroenterologists moving into liver transplant practice.