Dermatology board review means preparing for the American Board of Dermatology’s certification pathway: four CORE exam modules during residency, then the 200-question APPLIED exam after training (ABD). Each CORE module is two hours of 75 to 100 multiple-choice items (ABD CORE page), and the APPLIED exam runs 8 hours (ABD APPLIED page).
Below: what the CORE modules and the APPLIED exam contain, how the APPLIED content is weighted, the dates the ABD lists for 2027 and 2028, what CertLink is after you pass, and a review plan for residents who are studying around clinic and call.
ABD exams at a glance
| Topic | Official rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pathway | Residents pass all four CORE modules, finish residency, then take the APPLIED exam. Candidates have five years after residency to pass the APPLIED exam. | ABD: general exam information |
| CORE exam | Four modules covering medical, pediatric, surgical and dermatopathology; each module is 2 hours with 75 to 100 multiple-choice items. Residents become eligible in the second residency year, after at least 1.5 years of dermatology training. | ABD: CORE exam page |
| APPLIED exam | 200 multiple-choice questions in 8 hours at Pearson test centers: four sections of 50 questions, each timed at 94 minutes, with breaks of 20, 60 and 20 minutes. Some questions include clinical images or photomicrographs. | ABD: APPLIED exam page |
| Exam dates | CORE 2027: Winter Feb. 4 to 12, Summer July 13 to 21, Fall Oct. 22 to 30. APPLIED: July 15, 2027 and July 20, 2028. | ABD: exam calendar |
The CORE exam: four modules
CORE assesses dermatology knowledge at the level expected of a practicing dermatologist, in four modules (ABD).
| Module | Length | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Medical dermatology | 2 hours | 75 to 100 |
| Pediatric dermatology | 2 hours | 75 to 100 |
| Surgical dermatology | 2 hours | 75 to 100 |
| Dermatopathology | 2 hours | 75 to 100 |
You can take the modules in any order. In the second residency year the February sitting is limited to 2 modules; in the third year there are three sittings, typically July, October and February, with no module limit (ABD). Plan which modules go in which sitting early, because you must pass all four modules before taking APPLIED.
For the winter 2027 sitting, the ABD has residents choose one date and test by online proctor on a webcam-equipped laptop in a private location, or at a Pearson test center if they prefer (ABD); check the ABD calendar for other sittings.
The APPLIED exam
APPLIED is given after residency and tests whether you can apply knowledge to clinical scenarios in general dermatology (ABD). It is 200 multiple-choice questions in four timed sections of 50 questions, 94 minutes each, with breaks after the first, second and third sections (ABD).
| Content area | Approximate share |
|---|---|
| Medical dermatology | 55% |
| Pediatric dermatology | 15% |
| Surgical dermatology | 15% |
| Dermatopathology | 15% |
Source: ABD APPLIED page. The subject areas are mixed through the exam instead of grouped, so practise switching between a pathology slide, a pediatric rash and a surgical decision. Some questions include clinical images or photomicrographs; virtual dermatopathology scans are not included.
Who can sit for the APPLIED exam, and when
You must have passed all four CORE modules and completed an accredited dermatology residency, with a currently valid full unrestricted license in the U.S. or Canada, or a license application in progress, plus the program director’s final evaluation. This is a summary; the ABD’s requirements page has the full list, including medical-school qualifications. Eligible candidates are invited to register in April (ABD requirements). You have five years after residency to pass the APPLIED exam (ABD).
| Exam | Date or window |
|---|---|
| CORE, winter 2027 | Feb. 4 to 12, 2027 |
| CORE, summer 2027 | July 13 to 21, 2027 |
| CORE, fall 2027 | Oct. 22 to 30, 2027 |
| APPLIED | Thursday, July 15, 2027 |
| APPLIED | Thursday, July 20, 2028 |
Source: ABD exam calendar.
After you pass: CertLink
Initial certification is followed by Continuing Certification, which starts the year after you pass the APPLIED exam and requires ongoing participation in CertLink, with the first assessment in January (ABD). The ABD describes CertLink as an assessment platform that combines longitudinal assessment and lifelong learning, and has retired its high-stakes proctored maintenance of certification exam in favor of it (ABD). CertLink is not the exam you study for in residency; CORE and APPLIED are.
A board review plan around residency
- Plan the CORE sittings first. Decide which modules you take in the February, July and October sittings and work backward.
- Give dermatopathology its own track. It is a CORE module on its own and 15% of the APPLIED exam, and the questions use photomicrographs.
- Practise images. Keep a running set of clinical photos and slides you missed, and review them weekly.
- Use mixed blocks for APPLIED. Sections are not grouped by subject, so practise sets that mix medical, pediatric, surgical and pathology questions.
- Rehearse the long day. APPLIED is 8 hours with set breaks. Sit at least one full-length timed simulation.
Dermatology board review with a specialist tutor
Tell us which exam you are preparing for and we match you with a board-certified specialist tutor for it. Sessions are one-on-one by live video (Zoom or Google Meet), built around the modules or content areas where you lose points and around your clinic schedule. Start with a free 20-minute intro call: you describe the exam and your timeline, and we plan the match from there.
One-on-one dermatology board tutoring with The Boards Professor costs $349 per 50-minute session, online by live video (Zoom or Google Meet). Book a free intro consult.