As a physician deeply concerned about patient care and fairness in our profession, I am raising this issue that directly impacts us all. The second day of the Cardiovascular Board Exam has strayed from its original purpose - to test medical knowledge. Instead, it has become a tool for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to unjustly fail physicians and increase their financial gains.

This exam is not just an assessment; it's a determinant of our privileges as physicians and ultimately affects patient care. When an exam does not accurately measure a physician's knowledge or ability, it jeopardizes the quality of healthcare provided to patients.

This year there were two questions of peripheral angiograms in the coronary section with only coronary coding. There was additional questions of a type of ASD which was not listed on the coding sheet. Everyone who received these questions would get them wrong regardless of their medical knowledge. That is 3 questions in a section of only 31!. Failing this section translates to failing the exam. Not to mention the expectation of diagnostic conclusions from one view of blurry images which would be highly erroneous way to treat patients in practice. 

According to data from ABIM itself, there has been an alarming increase in failure rates over recent years (source: ABIM Annual Report). This trend coincides with changes made to the examination process that many argue have made it less about testing relevant medical knowledge and more about generating revenue.

We must ensure that our certification process remains fair, transparent, and focused on its primary goal - assessing our ability to provide excellent patient care. Therefore, we demand immediate action from relevant authorities for disqualification of day 2 of the Cardiovascular Board Exam until these issues are addressed.

Please sign this petition if you believe in fair testing practices for physicians and quality healthcare for patients.