The American Board of Ophthalmology welcomes new diplomates after the administration of each Oral Examination. The table below reflects the number of new diplomates certified each year.
| Year Ending 12/31 |
New Diplomates |
| 2023 |
501 |
| 2022 |
494 |
| 2021 |
576 |
| 2020 |
470 |
| 2019 |
528 |
Examination Statistics
Since 1916, the ABO has held 245 initial certification examinations and certified 33,703 ophthalmologists. Statistics from the last five years of board certification examination administrations are listed below.
Written Qualifying Examination
| Year |
Total Candidates |
1st Time Takers |
1st Time Passed |
Repeat Takers |
Repeat Passed |
Overall Passed |
Overall Failed |
| 2023 |
625 |
498 |
428 (85.9%) |
127 |
76 (59.8%) |
504 (80.6%) |
121 (19.4%) |
|
2022
|
611
|
497
|
419 (84.3%)
|
114
|
60 (52.6%)
|
479 (78.4%)
|
132 (21.6%)
|
|
2021
|
642
|
538
|
452 (84.0%)
|
104
|
59 (56.7%)
|
511 (79.6%)
|
131 (20.4%)
|
|
2020
|
584
|
528
|
456 (86.4%)
|
56
|
16 (28.6%)
|
472 (80.8%)
|
112 (19.2%)
|
|
2019B
|
498
|
419
|
405 (96.7%)
|
79
|
31 (39.2%)
|
436 (87.6%)
|
62 (12.4%)
|
|
2019A
|
538
|
465
|
460 (98.9%)
|
73
|
25 (34.2%)
|
485 (90.1%)
|
53 (9.9%)
|
Oral Examination
| Year |
Total Candidates |
1st Time Takers |
1st Time Passed |
Repeat Takers |
Repeat Passed |
Overall Passed |
Overall Failed |
|
2023F
|
297
|
216
|
180 (83.3%)
|
81
|
57 (70.4%)
|
237 (79.8%)
|
60 (20.2%)
|
|
2023S
|
332
|
291
|
241 (82.8%)
|
41
|
23 (56.1%)
|
264 (79.5%)
|
68 (20.5%)
|
|
2022F
|
291
|
225
|
188 (83.6%)
|
66
|
51 (77.3%)
|
239 (82.1%)
|
52 (17.9%)
|
|
2022S
|
314
|
269
|
221 (82.2%)
|
45
|
34 (75.6%)
|
255 (81.2%)
|
59 (18.8%)
|
|
2021F
|
328
|
273
|
229 (83.9%)
|
55
|
38 (69.1%)
|
267 (81.4%)
|
61 (18.6%)
|
|
2021S
|
353
|
235
|
206 (87.7%)
|
118
|
103 (87.3%)
|
309 (87.5%)
|
44 (12.5%)
|
|
2020D
|
180
|
156
|
113 (72.4%)
|
24
|
13 (54.2%)
|
126 (70%)
|
54 (30%)
|
|
2020C
|
186
|
147
|
109 (74.2%)
|
39
|
27 (69.2%)
|
136 (73.1%)
|
50 (26.9%)
|
|
2020B
|
171
|
143
|
110 (76.9% )
|
28
|
19 (67.9%)
|
129 (75.4%)
|
42 (24.6%)
|
|
2020A
|
102
|
87
|
68 (78.2%)
|
15
|
11 (73.3%)
|
79 (77.5%)
|
23 (22.6%)
|
|
2019F
|
379
|
336
|
263 (78.3%)
|
43
|
33 (76.7%)
|
296 (78.1%)
|
83 (21.9%)
|
|
2019S
|
282
|
226
|
194 (85.8%)
|
56
|
38 (67.9%)
|
232 (82.3%)
|
50 (17.7%)
|