ABPN Part I scores just posted — can someone explain the subscore flags?
My scores just posted online and I passed, but I'm honestly confused about what the section-level feedback actually means. I got an overall scaled score of 219 (passing is 200), but my Neuroscience subscore was flagged as 'borderline.' Does that just show up for informational purposes, or does it affect anything going forward with ABPN recertification?
For context I'm a PGY-4 psychiatry resident, took the exam at a Prometric center in Philadelphia. The exam was 295 questions total split over two days — 148 on Day 1 and 147 on Day 2. The neurology content on Day 2 felt significantly harder than what I'd prepped for. I used Psychiatry Residency In-Training Exam materials plus a few neurology shelf question banks, but I clearly underweighted the pure neuroscience and neuropathology content.
The wait for scores was 8 weeks exactly from my test date, which felt like forever. I kept checking the ABPN portal every day starting around week 6. My program director said the subscore flags are pretty common and don't affect pass/fail status once you've cleared the 200 threshold, but I'd love to hear from people who've actually been through it.
Also — anyone know if ABPN sends physical score letters or if the online portal is the only official notification? I want documentation for residency records and I can't find a straight answer anywhere.
Eight weeks for results sounds right. Mine came back in 7.5 weeks. The waiting period is brutal especially when you're starting intern year at the same time. Glad it worked out — enjoy not having to think about boards for a while.
The subscore flags are informational only — they don't affect your pass status once you're above 200. I had a 'borderline' flag on Child Psychiatry content my first attempt and it still showed as a clean pass in the portal. Congrats on getting through it, Part II is a completely different beast.
ABPN doesn't send physical letters automatically, but you can request an official score verification letter through the portal for a small fee. For residency documentation most programs just accept a screenshot of the pass confirmation page. Check with your coordinator what they actually need.
I took Part I last November and the neuroscience section hit me the same way. I thought I was solid on neuroanatomy from my neurology rotation but the ABPN goes deep into neurochemistry and pharmacodynamics at a level that felt more like a pharmacology board than a psychiatry exam. Would've spent more time there in hindsight.