How to Prepare for the ABMGG Board Exam: Survey Results from Former Exam Takers

So, you're gearing up for the ABMGG board exam? With only 5 months left until the ABMGG board exam, many candidates are seeking guidance on how to prepare the exam. While the ABMGG provides detailed information on its website, which is a great start, it can be really helpful to hear directly from people who've been through it.

We collected all the opinions from 24 previous exam takers via online survey. This blog post is all about sharing experiences and tips from former exam takers, and additional insights based on our recent survey to provide practical guidance on how to prepare effectively.

1. How Long Should I Study for the Board Exam?

The appropriate study duration varies depending on each candidate's background knowledge. If you have a strong foundation in genetics, genomics, disease, and technology, you might not need as much study time.

Based on survey results:

More than 70% of exam takers studied specifically for the board exam between 3-6 months
About 15% studied for 6 months to 1 year (including all educational activities)
Less than 15% studied for fewer than 3 months

Our survey showed that over 70% of exam takers typically study for 3 to 6 months. Keep in mind this is dedicated study time for the board exam only in addition to the genetics and genomics knowledge you acquire during your 2-3 years of training.

It is interesting to see some of responders said they only studied less than 3 months. They noted that they studied for the In-Training Exam (ITE) for about a month and it helped them assess their readiness for the board exam. Since they achieved a satisfactory ITE score, they spent less than three months of study.

Additionally, survey respondents also emphasized the importance of simulating the actual exam environment. Practice taking 50-60 questions per block (60-90 minutes), completing 2-3 blocks per exam (general or LGG board). For the final month before the exam, focus on practicing under timed conditions to build focus time and refine your test-taking strategy.

*Update from ABMGG on 3/14/2025

The ABMGG just announced that

"this year the general examination has been shortened to 100 questions to allow both general and specialty exams to be taken on the same day. Beginning this year, the general examination will be offered over a three-day period to allow this flexibility."

Please consider this update and reflect in your study plan

2. What study materials should I review?

Several resources are considered gold standard study materials for the ABMGG board exam:

Highly Recommended Resources:

Thompson & Thompson Genetics in Medicine
ACMG guidelines
ACMG board review course materials (lecture slides, Q-banks, 100 syndrome summary)

Regarding the ACMG board review materials, survey respondents noted that while it's useful to review the entire medical genetics field overall, they didn’t memorize every single detail. The basic genetics knowledge, molecular, and cytogenetics questions are particularly relevant for the general exam but some of clinical questions (phenotype or physical exam-based diagnosis) are not general exam level (more appropriate for the clinical specialty exam).

Additional feedback suggests that molecular and cytogenetics questions in the ACMG review course question banks might be at an appropriate level for the general exam but they aren't specifically designed for the LGG board exam. You should expect more difficult, complex, or detailed questions in the actual LGG board exam.

Some respondents mentioned that they didn’t memorize all the details of the 100 genetic syndromes. Some of them recommend focusing on the list of the core 70 genetic conditions provided by CCMG (Canadian College of Medical Geneticists), especially for the general exam where core genetic diseases are more relevant than ultra-rare conditions.

For the LGG Board Exam:

Lab testing technology background is crucial. Recommended resources include:

"Molecular Diagnostics: Fundamentals, Methods, and Clinical Applications" by Dr. Buckingham
"A Comprehensive Review in Clinical Cytogenetics" by MD Anderson

Although these books are designed for ASCP board exam preparation for technologists, respondents found them useful for technical background and result analysis. However, keep in mind that you should also possess director-level knowledge of result interpretation, nomenclature, etc.

Less Useful Study Materials:

Most survey respondents cautioned against practice exams or question banks from private companies. These resources aren't specifically designed for the ABMGG board exam and may not be worth the investment, as they often target other medical board exams.

Opinions about other materials, especially books with review questions including “Medical Genetics and Genomics: Questions for Board Review by Solomon”, “Self-assessment Questions for Clinical Molecular Genetics”, “Cases in Laboratory Genetics and Genomics (LGG) Practice” were mixed. Some found them helpful for practicing timing and identifying knowledge gaps, while others felt the question design or style didn't match the actual board exam. Since most respondents took the board exam only once, it's difficult to generalize. Consider these materials useful for practicing time management but don't expect to see identical questions on the actual exam. If you’re specifically looking for practice exam questions for the board, visit www.lgghub.com, which provides thousands of practice questions generated by previous exam takers.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of the ABMGG board exam blueprint. The ABMGG (and many previous exam takers) emphasize the need to familiarize yourself with all the content listed in the blueprint. One survey respondent suggested testing your readiness by delivering a 30-minute lecture on each topic in the exam blueprint without a script. For the LGG board exam, ensure that you’re familiar with less common technologies and can analyze and interpret their results, including result images.

3. What Study Strategies Are Effective?

There's no one-size-fits-all approach. People typically use a combination of self-study, small group study, and large group study.

Based on survey results:

About 60% of respondents found large study groups most useful
About 40% preferred small study groups

Our survey showed that about 60% found large study groups most useful, while 40% preferred small study groups. Since the survey didn't verify whether respondents had experienced both formats, we can't definitively conclude that one strategy is superior. We recommend participating in different sizes of study groups to find what works best for you.

Some people found large groups helpful initially (until about 3 months before the exam) for broad review through presentations. If you have not joined a large study group, please contact us or “ lggstudygroup@gmail.com.” to request join the large study group. Later on (until about 1 month before the exam), small groups with active discussion and Q&A were more useful for solidifying knowledge. Small groups can be formed with other LGG fellows within a larger group, or you can create one with fellows/residents (even clinical genetics, non-LGG) at your institution. Consider virtual or in-person sessions.

In the last month before the exam, most people prefer to study alone to review all the material, but still check in with the small group weekly or bi-weekly.

Recommended Approach:

Large study group (early phase, 3-6 months before exam): Passive learning, broad topic review.
Small study group (later phase, 1-3 months before exam): Interactive learning, focused discussion.
Final month: Individual study with occasional small-group check-ins.

4. What is the correlation between ITE and the actual board exam?

ABMGG states that the ITE is designed to evaluate the training milestones (medical genetics knowledge) of medical residents and clinical genetics fellows (not for LGG fellows). So, technically, it's not directly predictive of your board exam performance for LGG fellows. However, there is a correlation.

A study published in Genetics in Medicine (Waggoner et al, 2022), “The relationship between performance on the medical genetics and genomics in-training and certifying examinations” found a strong association between ITE results and board exam performance. It said

“To have a predicted probability of 90% or higher of earning a passing score on the general board exam, candidates needed ITE percent correct scores of 55.4 in 2015, 52.5 in 2017, and 51.6 in 2019. …. Finally, to have a predicted probability of 90% or higher of earning a passing score on the laboratory specialty CEs, candidates needed ITE scores of 59.5 in 2015, 51.4 in 2017, and 55.8 in 2019.”

So, based on the published data from the ABMGG, if you get a score of 50-60 in your ITE, your probability to pass the board exam would be 90% or higher.

However, don't panic if you scored below 50 on the ITE! It simply means you may need to identify your weaknesses and study a bit harder. Joining a study group can be particularly helpful in this case.

Even if you scored 50-60 on the ITE, don't get complacent! It doesn't guarantee you'll pass the board exam. Stay focused and keep studying. (Hint: You may calculate your probability of failing (or passing) by using the Bayesian method!)

Final Thoughts

Preparing for any board exam is stressful and anxiety-inducing. Remember that the passing rate is relatively high (around 80% of initial exam takers, 93% ultimate passing rate per ABMGG). The goal isn't to compete or be the "best," but to ensure you have the necessary genetics knowledge to practice as a qualified geneticist.

As one former exam taker put it, "It's a weird feeling, knowing I'll probably pass but still needing to study and being anxious about something I might have missed." Maybe that's the (hidden) purpose of the exam: pushing you to study as thoroughly as possible!

Remember this: The board exam is a valuable opportunity to review all the basics of genetics and genomics, including clinical genetics, technology, and lab data interpretation. Use this time to study the field as broadly as possible.

Even if you study hard, deep, and wide, there are no guarantees. This blog post provides guidance and tips, but it shouldn't be your only source of information. The more you study, the better geneticist you'll become.

We hope this post provides helpful guidance (and some relief). If you have further questions or comments, please reach out to us at support@LGGinfo.com.