Free ABIM Neurocritical Care Exam Prep
American Board of Internal Medicine Neurocritical Care Subspecialty Certification
Prepare for the ABIM Neurocritical Care exam without spending hundreds on expensive prep courses. Free study guides, practice questions, flashcards, and related exam resources.
Quick Facts
Free CEExplore More ABIM Board Certifications
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
ABIM ABIM Board Certifications: Study Roadmap
Follow this path to organize your exam preparation
Principles of Neurocritical CareYou are here
Master neuro-ICU exam technique and cerebral physiology (ICP, CBF, autoregulation), CSF physiology, and neuropharmacology - osmotherapy (mannitol vs. hypertonic saline, monitored by osmolar gap per NCS 2020), sedation/analgesia, antiseizure loading, and anticoagulant reversal (4F-PCC is now the main US option for factor Xa-inhibitor bleeds (off-label; 2022 AHA/ASA COR 2b) following Andexxa's 2025-12-22 US withdrawal; idarucizumab for dabigatran). Also cover airway/ventilation, hemodynamic support (IABP/VAD/ECMO), shock, nutrition, temperature control, ICU prophylaxis, and organ-system complications (pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine incl. DI/SIADH/cerebral salt wasting, GI, hematologic).
Diagnostic Studies & Procedural Skills
Neuroimaging selection (CT/MRI, perfusion, angiography), EEG monitoring, ICP monitoring devices, transcranial Doppler, brain tissue oxygen and multimodality monitoring, EMG, and CSF analysis. Memorize brain death determination per the 2023 AAN/AAP/CNS/SCCM guideline: prerequisites (T ≥36°C, SBP ≥100 mmHg AND MAP ≥75 mmHg) and apnea testing (PaCO2 ≥60 mmHg and ≥20 mmHg above baseline, pH <7.30, no respiratory effort; abort for SBP <100, MAP <75, or SpO2 <85%).
Neurocritical Care Diseases
Acute ischemic stroke reperfusion per the 2026 AHA/ASA guideline (tenecteplase 0.25 mg/kg max 25 mg or alteplase 0.9 mg/kg max 90 mg, both Class 1, within 4.5 hours; extended windows; cautious post-reperfusion BP targets). ICH (mild-to-moderate ICH with SBP 150-220: target 140 within 130-150 mmHg, <130 potentially harmful; cerebellar ICH ≥15 mL → immediate evacuation) and SAH (grading scales, nimodipine, avoid fluid restriction). Post-cardiac-arrest temperature control 32-37.5°C ≥36 hours (2025 AHA). Intracranial hypertension (BTF: ICP >22, CPP 60-70). Spinal cord injury MAP targets (2024 AO Spine/Praxis: 75-80 to 90-95 mmHg, 3-7 days). Status epilepticus timing/pharmacology and acute neuromuscular emergencies (GBS, myasthenia).
Neurosurgical & Perioperative Complications
Post-neurosurgical seizures, pneumocephalus, hemorrhage, ischemia, infections, CSF leak, and external ventricular/lumbar drain complications, including hyperperfusion syndrome.
Ethics, Research & Practice-Based Learning
Communication and conflict resolution with families, advance directives/DNR orders, avoiding premature withdrawal of care from early or single-modality prognostication, palliative and end-of-life care, futility, determining decision-makers, and donation after brain death versus after cardiac death.
Can You Take the ABIM Neurocritical Care Exam?
Check if you meet the basic eligibility requirements
- •Prior ABIM Internal Medicine certification
- •Prior ABIM certification in Critical Care Medicine (required at the time of application)
- •Satisfactory completion of a 12-month accredited Neurocritical Care fellowship (ACGME-accredited if started on/after July 1, 2026; earlier training must be affiliated with a UCNS- or CAST-accredited program)
- •Unrestricted medical license
- •Participation in ABIM MOC once certified
ABIM Neurocritical Care Quick Facts
Time to Get Licensed
From start to license in hand
Retake Policy
Total Cost Breakdown
Free ABIM Neurocritical Care Prep Tools
Reported exam pass rate: ABIM does not publish a Neurocritical Care pass rate for its candidates. ABPN reports first-time pass rates for ABPN examinees only: 91% (2021), 94% (2022), and 96% (2024). An ABPN-authored report put the first (2021) all-board pass rate at 72.7% of 1,011 candidates (Lewis et al., 2022). These figures describe exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep user outcomes. Check the exam sponsor’s website for published statistics.
198+ Practice Questions
Practice by topic with detailed answer explanations
AI Tutor Explains Mistakes
Understand why answers are wrong, not just which ones
Independent Study Resources
Check the exam sponsor for current requirements
$0 Forever
Start without a credit card or trial
What You'll Study
27 chapters covering the exam topics in this guide
Introduction & Exam Overview
4 sections
ICU Neurologic Exam, Cerebral Physiology, and CSF
3 sections
Core Neuropharmacology
4 sections
Reperfusion Drugs, Airway, and Ventilation
4 sections
Hemodynamics and Shock
3 sections
Nutrition, Temperature, and ICU Prophylaxis
3 sections
General Trauma
3 sections
Pulmonary Critical Care
3 sections
Cardiovascular Critical Care
3 sections
Renal and Infectious Disease
4 sections
Endocrine and Salt-Water Disorders
3 sections
Gastrointestinal Critical Care
3 sections
Hematologic Disorders
3 sections
Neuroimaging
3 sections
EEG, EMG, and CSF Analysis
3 sections
ICP, TCD, and Multimodality Monitoring
3 sections
Brain Death and Bedside Procedures
3 sections
Coma, Anoxia, and Intracranial Hypertension
4 sections
Acute Ischemic Stroke
3 sections
Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage
3 sections
SAH, CVST, and Spinal Cord Infarction
4 sections
Vascular Anomalies and Traumatic Brain Injury
4 sections
Spine, Hydrocephalus, and CNS Infection
4 sections
Seizures and Neuromuscular Emergencies
4 sections
Inflammatory Disease, Neuro-Oncology, and Special Populations
4 sections
Neurosurgical and Perioperative Complications
3 sections
Ethics, Prognostication, and Organ Donation
4 sections
ABIM Neurocritical Care Exam Details
American Board of Internal Medicine Neurocritical Care Subspecialty Certification
Administered by American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM)
Exam Content Breakdown
Based on the official American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) content outline
Neuro-ICU exam and cerebral physiology (ICP, CBF, autoregulation), CSF physiology, and neuropharmacology (osmotherapy per NCS 2020 osmolar-gap guidance, sedation/analgesia, antiseizure loading, anticoagulant reversal - 4F-PCC is now the main US option for factor Xa-inhibitor bleeds (off-label; 2022 AHA/ASA COR 2b) since Andexxa/andexanet alfa left the US market on 2025-12-22). Also airway/mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic support (IABP, VAD, ECMO), shock, nutrition (BTF: basal caloric replacement by day 5-7), temperature control, ICU prophylaxis, general trauma, and organ-system complications (pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, infectious, endocrine incl. DI/SIADH/cerebral salt wasting, GI, hematologic).
Neuroimaging (CT/MRI, perfusion, angiography), EEG, ICP monitoring, transcranial Doppler, brain tissue oxygen and multimodality monitoring, EMG, CSF analysis, vascular access, and thoracic/lung ultrasound. Includes brain death determination per the 2023 AAN/AAP/CNS/SCCM guideline: prerequisites (T ≥ 36°C; SBP ≥ 100 mmHg AND MAP ≥ 75 mmHg), brainstem reflex exam, and apnea testing (no respiratory effort, pH <7.30, PaCO2 ≥ 60 mmHg AND ≥ 20 mmHg above baseline; abort for SBP <100, MAP <75, or SpO2 <85%).
Coma and anoxic brain injury (post-cardiac-arrest temperature control 32-37.5°C for at least 36 hours per 2025 AHA, following TTM2); intracranial hypertension (BTF 4th ed.: ICP >22 mmHg, CPP 60-70 mmHg); acute ischemic stroke (2026 AHA/ASA: tenecteplase 0.25 mg/kg max 25 mg or alteplase 0.9 mg/kg max 90 mg, both Class 1, within 4.5 hours; extended thrombolysis/thrombectomy windows; cautious post-reperfusion BP management); intracerebral and subarachnoid hemorrhage (ICH: in mild-to-moderate ICH with SBP 150-220, target SBP 140 within a 130-150 mmHg range, <130 potentially harmful; cerebellar ICH ≥15 mL or deteriorating → immediate evacuation; reversal now mainly 4F-PCC (off-label; COR 2b); SAH: grading scales, nimodipine, avoid fluid restriction); spinal cord injury (2024 AO Spine/Praxis: MAP 75-80 to 90-95 mmHg for 3-7 days); status epilepticus; acute neuromuscular emergencies (GBS, myasthenia); CNS infections and other neurocritical diseases.
Post-neurosurgical seizures, pneumocephalus, hemorrhage, ischemia, infections, CSF leak, and complications of external ventricular and lumbar drains, including hyperperfusion syndrome.
Communication with families and conflict resolution, advance directives and DNR orders, avoiding premature withdrawal of care based on early or single-modality prognostication (the 'self-fulfilling prophecy'), palliative and end-of-life care, futility, determining decision-makers, and donation after brain death versus after cardiac death.
What's Included
27 Chapters
Complete exam coverage
Practice Quizzes
With detailed explanations
Free to Start
No credit card required
Quality Exam Prep Shouldn't Cost Hundreds
I'm Ran Chen, an engineer with 20+ years of coding experience. I passed my Life Insurance license, EA exam, SIE, Series 6, 63, 65, and finally the CFP® exam.
Through all these exams, one thing became clear: exam prep is expensive. But with AI, we can change that. Quality preparation can now be free for everyone.
What's Next After the ABIM Neurocritical Care?
After passing the ABIM Neurocritical Care, you can pursue these career paths
ABIM Neurocritical Care Exam FAQ
Official American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Resources
Verify information with these official sources
More Free Resources
Ready to Start Your Free ABIM Neurocritical Care Prep?
Review the study guide, practice key concepts, and use the free tools at your own pace.