The Family Medicine Certification Longitudinal Assessment (FMCLA) is taken by board-certified family physicians who are keeping their certification current with the American Board of Family Medicine. This page gives you free practice sets by topic, the official content areas with their weights, worked explanations, a study plan and answers to common questions. Our questions are written with AI tools and are not real exam items.
The FMCLA has 300 questions and takes about 5 minutes[1] (American Board of Family Medicine, verified Oct 27, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 25 timed questions per quarter, 300 total[1] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit | 5 minutes per question[1] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Passing score | Same minimum passing standard as the one-day exam[1] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Exam fee | No additional cost; annual certification fee still required[1] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $650 reduced one-day exam fee[2] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Fail → one-day exam at a proctored test center by end of year 4 or 5[2] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Renewal | 5-Year Cycle: FMCLA + 60 certification points + annual fee[3] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online in MyABFM Portfolio, anywhere, any time[1] | American Board of Family Medicine · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to American Board of Family Medicine, “You will receive 25 timed questions each quarter for a total of 300 questions over three to four years.”[1]
The FMCLA is the American Board of Family Medicine's way of checking and building knowledge over time. You answer it as part of continuing certification instead of sitting a single long exam.
It is delivered online in your MyABFM Portfolio. The Board says questions can be answered anywhere, at any time. You receive 25 timed questions each quarter, for a total of 300 questions across the assessment period. Questions are multiple-choice, and you have 5 minutes to answer each one.
There is no additional cost for the longitudinal assessment, but your annual certification fee is still required. The FMCLA is one part of the 5-Year Cycle, which also asks you to earn 60 certification points through Self-Assessment and Performance Improvement activities.
The minimum passing standard is set at the same standard as the one-day exam. If your performance falls below that standard, you will need to pass the one-day exam at a secure proctored test center before the end of year 4 or 5 of your cycle. If your included exam attempts have already been used, the reduced one-day exam fee is $650.
Details can differ with your certification timeline and your personal portfolio, so check your own MyABFM account and the official ABFM longitudinal assessment page for what applies to you.
The content areas below are copied from the official FMCLA content outline published by American Board of Family Medicine, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Acute Care and Diagnosis[4] | 35% | FMCLA Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Medicine Practise working from a presenting complaint to the most likely diagnosis and the sensible next test or treatment, starting with common heart and lung problems. |
| Chronic Care Management[4] | 25% | FMCLA Managing Chronic Disease Review guideline-based medication choices, monitoring and follow-up for long-term conditions seen in everyday clinic visits. |
| Emergent and Urgent Care[4] | 20% | FMCLA Acute Care and Emergency Medicine Rehearse first-line actions for time-critical problems, such as anaphylaxis, where the first correct step matters most. |
| Foundations of Care[4] | 5% | Mixed practice tests above Read the official outline for this area and use the explanations in our other sets to reinforce general clinical reasoning. |
| Preventive Care[4] | 15% | FMCLA Preventive Care Review screening and counselling recommendations and who they apply to, since these questions depend on knowing the guideline. |
Prepare for the FMCLA - Family Medicine Certification Longitudinal Assessment exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: A patient presents with anaphylaxis after a bee sting. What is the first-line treatment?
Answer: B. Epinephrine 0.3 mg IM
Explanation:
Epinephrine 0.3 mg IM is correct because anaphylaxis is a life-threatening reaction, and intramuscular epinephrine, given in the anterolateral thigh, reverses airway swelling, low blood pressure and bronchospasm quickly. Diphenhydramine IV relieves itching and hives but does not treat airway or circulatory collapse. Methylprednisolone IV works too slowly to help in the first minutes and is only an add-on. An albuterol inhaler treats wheeze but not shock or swelling of the airway. The rule to remember: in anaphylaxis, epinephrine comes first and everything else is secondary.
Question: Which drug class is considered first-line for reducing cardiovascular mortality in patients with reduced ejection fraction heart failure?
Answer: B. Beta-blockers
Explanation:
Beta-blockers are correct. Carvedilol, metoprolol succinate and bisoprolol have been shown in large trials to lower deaths in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Loop diuretics relieve congestion and symptoms but do not improve survival. Calcium channel blockers are generally avoided in reduced ejection fraction, because some can worsen heart failure. Nitrates ease symptoms such as chest pain or congestion, but they are not the drug class used to lower cardiovascular mortality here. The rule to remember: separate drugs that make the patient feel better from drugs that help the patient live longer.
Question: What is the CHA2DS2-VASc score used to determine in patients with atrial fibrillation?
Answer: B. Risk of stroke and need for anticoagulation
Explanation:
The CHA2DS2-VASc score estimates the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation and helps decide whether to start anticoagulation, so option B is correct. It does not choose between rate and rhythm control, which depends on symptoms, patient factors and the clinical picture. It does not pick a specific antiarrhythmic drug, and it does not decide whether cardioversion is needed. The rule to remember: this score is about stroke prevention, while rate, rhythm and cardioversion questions are separate decisions.
Start with the official ABFM longitudinal assessment page and your MyABFM Portfolio, so you know how delivery, timing and your own requirements work. Then use the content areas above to decide where your time goes. The areas with the largest weights deserve the most practice, but do not skip the smaller ones.
Practise with a timer set to 5 minutes per question, since that is the limit on the real assessment. Return to your missed-question list before each quarterly session and check anything unclear against current guidelines.
The FMCLA is the American Board of Family Medicine's Family Medicine Certification Longitudinal Assessment. It is part of continuing certification and is answered online in your MyABFM Portfolio, anywhere and at any time. It replaces sitting a long one-time exam for participants who pass it.
You receive 25 timed questions each quarter, for a total of 300 questions. The questions are multiple-choice, and you have 5 minutes to answer each one. Check your MyABFM Portfolio for the schedule that applies to your own certification timeline.
No. The ABFM states there is no additional cost for the longitudinal assessment, but your annual certification fee is still required. Other parts of the 5-Year Cycle, such as earning 60 certification points, have their own requirements, so read the official cycle page.
The minimum passing standard is the same as the one-day exam. If your performance falls below it, you must pass the one-day exam at a secure proctored test center before the end of year 4 or 5. If your included attempts are used, the reduced fee is $650.
No. The questions on this page are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam items. They are meant to help you review topics and practise the question style. Use the ABFM's own materials to confirm the content areas and rules that apply to you.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.