Passing your boards is an important step for any medical professional. It takes a great deal of time to study for the exam, not to mention several hundred dollars, to take it. Not passing can prevent you from entering your chosen profession—the one you've trained for years already.

Considering all that's at stake with board certification exams, imagine how you'd feel if your board failed you by mistake. That's what happened to a group of pathology board exam takers over the last two years. Even if the board offers a refund for the exams, it hardly makes up for the time, money, and lost career opportunities these individuals have had to deal with.

The Lento Law Firm understands what a huge commitment taking your boards is, and how significant it is for your career. Our Professional License Defense Team can assist you if your state or national board has made an error concerning your exam. Call 888-535-3686 or send us your information via our contact form.

Dozens of Pathology Board Exam Takers Were Mistakenly Failed

Recently, the American Board of Pathology informed 76 people who had taken either the primary or subspecialty pathology exams that they had failed by mistake. The Board rescored the tests and sent emails to these individuals to inform them that they had, in fact, passed their boards. These exam takers had previously scored just below the pass-fail threshold. The Board is also issuing refunds to the impacted individuals.

This incident only affected about 2% of exam takers from 2022 to 2024, but it's a significant issue for these people. Not getting board certification can mean no hospital privileges, which can prevent you from obtaining certain jobs. Failing to get a certain specialty certification can also mean a $30,000 difference in your paycheck. Pathologists have only 5 years and 10 tries to pass the exam, which costs between $2,100 and $2,600 each time. Re-taking the exam after getting a failing score, therefore, represents a significant financial investment—not to mention the time spent studying.

What to Do If the Board Made an Error on Your Exam

If you learn about an error on your board exam, like the 76 individuals who actually ended up passing their pathology boards, you should take action. Medical boards can make mistakes, and these errors can have a drastic impact on your future. If it happens to you, you should contact the Professional License Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm.

Our attorneys work with medical and licensed professionals all over the country and we can help you stand up to your board and demand your rights be respected. If the board makes a mistake, whether on your exam scores or in another area concerning your license, it should make good on this error. Call the Lento Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or fill out our contact form with your information so we can discuss your issue with your medical board.