100+ Free AOBPa Pathology Practice Questions
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Which cell surface marker confirms B-cell origin in flow cytometry of a lymphoma?
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Key Facts: AOBPa Pathology Exam
~$1,850
Initial Exam Fee
AOBPa 2024-2026
100 MCQs
Written Component
AOBPa AP blueprint
500/800
Scaled Passing Score
AOBPa scoring
~22%
GI — Largest Blueprint Area
AOBPa AP content outline
9 hours
Total Exam Time (3 sections)
AOBPa exam structure
3 years
AP Residency Required
AOA/ACGME training
The AOBPa Pathology boards are the AOA's certifying exam for osteopathic pathologists, structured as a three-part assessment (written + oral + practical) over ~9 hours. The written component is 100 single-best-answer MCQs scored on a 200-800 scaled metric with a 500 cut score. Top blueprint weights are GI (~22%), Dermatopathology (~13%), OB/GYN (~13%), and Breast (~12%) — together >60% of the written exam. Fees total ~$1,850 initial with $600 per failed section.
Sample AOBPa Pathology Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your AOBPa Pathology exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A 58-year-old woman with chronic GERD has an endoscopic biopsy showing columnar epithelium with goblet cells in the distal esophagus. Which of the following best characterizes this lesion?
2A colon biopsy from a patient with bloody diarrhea shows continuous mucosal inflammation extending from the rectum proximally, crypt abscesses, and no granulomas. The most likely diagnosis is:
3A breast biopsy shows nests of cells with low-grade nuclei, monomorphic appearance, and loss of E-cadherin expression by immunohistochemistry. Which diagnosis fits best?
4A prostate needle biopsy shows fused glands with poorly formed lumens. The pathologist assigns Gleason pattern 4 to all of the tumor. Per the 2014 ISUP/2016 WHO grade group system, this corresponds to:
5A skin biopsy shows a melanocytic lesion with Breslow thickness 2.3 mm, ulceration, and 4 mitoses/mm^2. What is the most appropriate next step in management based on these findings?
6Cervical screening shows atypical glandular cells (AGC). The most appropriate workup includes:
7A patient with chronic hepatitis C develops a liver mass. Biopsy shows trabeculae of polygonal cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm, intracytoplasmic bile, and increased reticulin. The diagnosis is:
8Flow cytometry on a lymph node shows CD5+, CD23+, CD19+, CD20 dim+, and surface immunoglobulin dim+ B cells. The most likely diagnosis is:
9A bone marrow biopsy shows hypercellular marrow (>=20% blasts) with Auer rods. Flow cytometry shows CD13+, CD33+, CD117+, MPO+ blasts. This is consistent with:
10A patient develops fever and back pain during a red cell transfusion. Lab shows hemoglobinuria and a positive direct antiglobulin test. The most likely reaction is:
About the AOBPa Pathology Exam
The AOBPa Pathology Certifying Examination validates expertise across anatomic pathology (surgical pathology, cytopathology, autopsy/forensic basics) and clinical pathology (hematopathology, chemistry, coagulation, microbiology, transfusion medicine, molecular diagnostics, and laboratory management). DO candidates must complete an AOA- or ACGME-accredited pathology residency. The full credentialing event combines a 4-hour 100-question written exam with separate oral and 100-item practical (slide/image) components, scaled 200-800 with a passing score of 500.
Questions
100 scored questions
Time Limit
4 hours written; ~9 hours total across written + oral + practical components
Passing Score
Scaled score >=500 on a 200-800 scale
Exam Fee
~$1,850 initial ($1,800 exam + $50 application); $600 per section for re-examination (American Osteopathic Board of Pathology (AOBPa) under the American Osteopathic Association (AOA))
AOBPa Pathology Exam Content Outline
Gastrointestinal & Hepatobiliary Pathology
Esophageal (Barrett, eosinophilic esophagitis, adenocarcinoma), gastric (H. pylori, GIST CD117/DOG1, intestinal-type vs diffuse adenocarcinoma), IBD UC vs Crohn (skip lesions, granulomas), colon polyps (TA vs TVA vs SSL, FAP, Lynch MLH1/MSH2/MSH6/PMS2), HCC vs cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic IPMN/PanIN/PDAC, primary biliary cholangitis.
Breast, Gyn & GU Pathology
DCIS grades, invasive ductal vs lobular (E-cadherin), ER/PR/HER2 + Ki-67, Oncotype DX. Cervix HPV/LSIL/HSIL/AIS, endometrial EIN/endometrioid/serous, ovarian HGSC/LGSC/clear cell, placenta. Prostate Gleason/ISUP grade groups, urothelial CIS vs T1, RCC (clear cell/papillary/chromophobe), seminoma vs NSGCT.
Dermatopathology
Spongiotic vs psoriasiform vs lichenoid patterns, melanoma Breslow + ulceration + mitoses, dysplastic nevus, BCC vs SCC, Merkel cell, mycosis fungoides, dermatofibroma vs DFSP (CD34), neurofibroma vs schwannoma.
Head & Neck, Lung & Soft Tissue
Salivary pleomorphic adenoma vs adenoid cystic vs mucoepidermoid, thyroid PTC nuclear features/BRAF V600E, lung adenocarcinoma TTF-1/Napsin/EGFR/ALK/PD-L1, SCC p40/p63, SCLC, mesothelioma, soft tissue WHO categories, immunohistochemistry panels.
Hematopathology
Reactive vs neoplastic lymph node, DLBCL/FL/MCL/MZL/Burkitt, Hodgkin (cHL Reed-Sternberg CD15/CD30), plasma cell myeloma criteria, AML WHO/ICC, ALL (B vs T), CML BCR-ABL, CLL, MPN JAK2/CALR/MPL, MDS, flow cytometry interpretation.
Clinical Chemistry, Coag & Transfusion
Lipid panel, cardiac troponin, liver enzymes, AKI/CKD biomarkers, endocrine assays, TDM, intrinsic vs extrinsic coag pathway, DIC, factor deficiencies, lupus anticoagulant, ABO/Rh, antibody screen/identification, transfusion reactions (febrile, hemolytic, TRALI, TACO), apheresis.
Microbiology & Molecular Diagnostics
Gram stain interpretation, anaerobes, mycobacteria (AFB/Ziehl-Neelsen), fungal stains (GMS/PAS), parasitology, virology (HPV/HCV/HIV/CMV/SARS-CoV-2), MALDI-TOF, PCR, NGS solid tumor + heme panels, sensitivity testing, MIC interpretation.
Autopsy, Forensic & Lab Management
Cause vs manner of death, sudden cardiac death, perinatal/pediatric autopsy, postmortem interval, basic forensic toxicology. CAP/CLIA inspection prep, method validation (linearity, precision, accuracy), proficiency testing, Westgard rules, safety, ethics, billing/coding compliance.
How to Pass the AOBPa Pathology Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Scaled score >=500 on a 200-800 scale
- Exam length: 100 questions
- Time limit: 4 hours written; ~9 hours total across written + oral + practical components
- Exam fee: ~$1,850 initial ($1,800 exam + $50 application); $600 per section for re-examination
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
AOBPa Pathology Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the AOBPa Pathology certifying exam?
Candidates must be DOs from a COCA-accredited osteopathic college (or MDs from LCME-accredited US/Canadian schools, or ECFMG-certified IMGs) who have completed one approved internship year plus three years of anatomic pathology residency (or four combined AP/CP). An unrestricted state/territorial/Canadian medical license and adherence to the AOA Code of Ethics are required. Program directors must attest to satisfactory training.
How is the AOBPa Anatomic Pathology exam structured?
The full certifying event has three components administered over one fall weekend: a 4-hour written exam with 100 multiple-choice questions, an oral examination, and a 4-hour practical (slide/image-based) exam with approximately 100 items. Total testing time is about 9 hours. Each section is scored separately on a 200-800 scaled metric with a passing score of 500.
What is the fee for the AOBPa Pathology exam?
Initial application + exam is $1,850 ($1,800 exam fee + $50 application). Late applications incur a 30% surcharge. Re-examination is $600 per failed section. Annual Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC) fees apply once you are certified. Confirm current fees on the AOBPa exam page.
What topics carry the most weight on the AOBPa Anatomic Pathology blueprint?
Gastrointestinal pathology (~22%) is the single largest category, followed by Dermatopathology (~13%), OB/GYN pathology (~13%), Breast (~12%), GU (~6%), Head & Neck (~5%), and Pulmonary (~5%). Clinical pathology elements (heme, chemistry, blood bank, micro, lab management) collectively contribute ~25% on combined-track items and dominate the CP/Laboratory Medicine certifying exam.
How long should I study for the AOBPa boards?
Most pathology residents report 400-600 dedicated hours over 6-10 months. A common split is ~30% surgical pathology (GI, breast, GYN, derm, GU), ~20% other subsites (H&N, lung, soft tissue), ~20% hematopathology + transfusion, ~15% clinical chemistry/coag/micro/molecular, and ~15% cytology, autopsy, and lab management. Daily slide review plus targeted MCQ practice are essential.
What scaled score do I need to pass the AOBPa exam?
Each section is scored on a 200-800 scaled metric, with a scaled score of 500 or higher required to pass each component (written, oral, and practical). Individual content-area scores are reported for diagnostic feedback only and do not affect pass/fail status. Failure of any section requires retake of that specific section at $600 per section.
Is the AOBPa exam still being offered for new certifications?
AOBPa announced that the legacy primary certification exams in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology/Laboratory Medicine, and Forensic Pathology had their final administrations in 2024. DOs now seeking initial pathology certification typically pursue the American Board of Pathology (ABPath) AP/CP pathway. Existing AOBPa diplomates continue to maintain certification through Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC) Components 1-4. Confirm current AOBPa policy directly.
Does the AOBPa exam emphasize osteopathic principles?
Unlike clinically intensive AOA specialty boards (e.g., family medicine, internal medicine, FP), pathology certifying exams focus on laboratory and diagnostic expertise rather than direct osteopathic manipulative treatment. A small portion of items may reference osteopathic philosophy and AOA-specific ethics, but the bulk of the exam mirrors mainstream pathology blueprints used by ABPath.