ABFM Sports Medicine Certification Exam Blueprint Updated – Effective January 1, 2026

We are thrilled to announce a comprehensive update to the Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in Sports Medicine Certification Examination blueprint which is effective January 1, 2026. The CAQ in Sports Medicine is offered in conjunction with the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM), the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) and the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR).

The new blueprint features several enhancements to ensure that the Sports Medicine Certification Examination is relevant, clinically valid, and reflective of current practice in the subspecialty.  Additionally, this new blueprint will help guide the assembly of the future sports medicine longitudinal assessment.

Enhancements to the new blueprint include five content domains that cover the entire spectrum of sports medicine, emphasizing both common and potentially life-threatening diagnoses that sports medicine physicians are expected to encounter in clinical practice.  Examples include concussion, musculoskeletal ultrasound, exercise associated collapse, and other clinical activities that are important to the practice of sports medicine.

Content Domains

• Foundations of Practice – 5%
• Preventive Aspects of Sports Medicine – 10%
• Care of Emergency Conditions – 20%
• Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Sports- and Exercise-Related Musculoskeletal Conditions – 35%
• Diagnosis, Management, and Epidemiology of Sports- and Exercise-Related Medical Conditions – 30%

We believe this updated blueprint will significantly enhance the quality of sports medicine certification, ensuring that sports medicine fellows are well-prepared to meet the demands of this dynamic specialty.