FAQs ABPath CertLink

ABPath CertLink (ABPCL) is a longitudinal assessment designed to support continuous learning and professional development. ABPCLhas been approved as a replacement for the once- every- 10-year high stakes exam that diplomates were previously required to take to fulfill their CC Part III Assessment of Knowledge, Judgment, and Skills requirement.

A longitudinal assessment is designed to assess an individual’s knowledge over time. Answering questions every three months allows the assessment to be continuous, identify knowledge gaps, promote educational opportunities, and allow for remediation.

Diplomates should:

• Design their Assessment to best fit their knowledge and practice.
  • A custom Assessment can be created from the over 30 ABPCL Practice Areas.

• Complete the assigned ABPCL questions each quarter. If you miss three or more quarters in a two-year reporting period and they have not been approved as sabbaticals, your certification status will be reported as “Not participating in Continuing Certification”.
• Use any resources available while answering a question other than another person.
• Read the Critique after answering a question.
• Agree to maintain a fair and secure assessment process.

The credits may be claimed from February to December during the year following your participation through the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) in collaboration with the American Board of Pathology (ABPath). You do not have to be a member of ASCP to claim these credits.

For Participation in 2024 – Diplomates can claim up to 4 CME credits (1 CME credit per quarter).

Claim CME for ABPCL participation in 2024 through March 31, 2026.

For Participation in 2025 – A link will be available in February 2026 to claim credits for participation in 2025.

New Diplomates – Diplomates will be automatically registered in ABPCL after successful completion of ABPath Primary and/or Subspecialty certification exams.

Non-Time-Limited Diplomates (Lifetime Certificate Holders)– Non-time-limited diplomates may register by contacting ABPCL Support at certlink@abpath.org.

If you are completing a fellowship, you are still required to participate in ABPath CertLink and submit your two-year CC Reporting form, as outlined in the CC Booklet of Information.

Yes, ABPCL is open to all ABPath diplomates. Diplomates with non-time-limited (lifetime) certificates are encouraged to participate and participation does not place their certification at risk.. Lifetime diplomates may also claim CME credit for their participation.

To ensure optimal performance and compatibility, ABPath CertLink requires the following minimum operating systems: 

You can use any of these operating systems or newer versions on your preferred compatible device to access the platform smoothly. Any older versions of the above OS will not be compatible for use with ABPath CertLink.

The following browsers are approved for use with ABPath CertLink:

These browsers typically update automatically, but it is advised to routinely check your browser’s version to ensure you are using the most recent version.

To ensure that you receive the ABPath CertLink (ABPCL) emails, please add the following addresses to your spam or quarantine safe sender lists:

• certlink@abpath.org
  
  
• ABPathCL@itstestsys.zohodesk.com 
  
  
• no-reply@castoredc.com

Be sure to keep your contact information up to date in your PATHway profile and notify ABPCL Support of any updates to your email address (i.e., your ABPCL Username) by submitting a support ticket from within the ABPCL platform, or by emailing certlink@abpath.org.

The browser-based ABPCL platform is optimized for PC and Mac computers. If you prefer to use a tablet, the mobile app is not yet available but you may use a web browser on your tablet to access ABPCL. ABPath CertLink (ABPCL) is not approved for use on smartphones.

Both wired and wireless networks are supported. Testing requires a stable connection and wireless networks can introduce reliability and performance issues. The software allows test takers to easily reconnect when an error occurs, but an unreliable connection can impact testing. We recommend that, before answering questions, you click the Readiness option on the upper right menu to evaluate your network speed and connectivity.

At a minimum, you should have the following:

• Download speed:  35 Mbps
• Upload Speed:  3 Mbps

If your internet connection does not meet these requirements, we recommend that you use a different network or device. If you are using a wireless network, you can try a wired connection.

Your device should be checked to verify it is properly configured for testing. Please click the Readiness option on the upper-right menu. Once the Readiness check is complete, please review the results. Please contact ABPCL Support at certlink@abpath.org if you have any questions or issues. For best results, run the Readiness check prior to answering questions.

Check with your IT department about the presence of a proxy server. While the presence of a proxy server is usually not a cause for concern, you may consider answering questions on a non-work network or computer to help ensure an optimal user experience. 

If you encounter any technical issues, please go to the Readiness option on the upper-right menu to run a system check. Contact ABPCL Support if you have any questions or need further assistance.

Pop-up blockers may prevent external articles from opening. Additionally, the Readiness check in the upper right menu creates a pop-up window that runs a sample test. This window may be blocked by a pop-up blocker and cause an error in the system check. By configuring pop-up blockers to only allow pop-ups from the testing site, the security of the pop-up blocker software is not compromised. Simply add *.starttest.com to your pop-up blocker’s list of allowed sites.

The privacy of examinees, their personal information, and the test materials are extremely important. Session cookies are used to track the current test each examinee is taking. A session cookie is a special type of cookie that is only stored in memory and is automatically deleted when the user closes the browser. Session cookies are used to track a user’s current state during their visit and require that session cookies be enabled to use the site. These cookies are automatically removed when the browser is closed. We do not use or support cookies that in any way are used to track an individual’s Internet usage outside of our own website.

No. The software will explicitly detect and block the starting of tests on virtual machines.

You can request support in the platform by clicking “Support” in the upper right menu or send an email to certlink@abpath.org. If needed, an ABPath CertLink® Support Agent will follow-up with you as soon as possible. ABPath office hours are Monday thru Friday, 8 am – 4 pm Eastern Time.

Your username is the primary email address from your PATHway account at the time of registration for ABPath CertLink (ABPCL) and your temporary password, along with your Username, is sent in a welcome email on Day 1 of your first quarter of participation.

If you have set your password but have forgotten it, you can request a reset link by clicking “Reset Password” on the login page.

If you need to update your email address/Username, you may update it in the Profile section when logged into ABPCL or you may email ABPCL Support at certlink@abpath.org.  

Your assessment includes a combination of required and elective content. The required Core content is assigned by ABPath based on the certifications that you are maintaining via the Continuing Certification (CC) Program. A list of Elective Practice Areas is provided for you to choose from to design the rest of your Assessment; you can adjust the percentage of content from each Elective Practice Area that appears in your Assessment. Once you’ve made your selections, your Assessment Design is locked for 6 months, after which you can redesign your Assessment for the next 6-month run.

When you begin the next CertLink cycle, your prior assessment design will load automatically. Review, adjust and confirm your selections before confirming your assessment.

The Dashboard provides real-time Assessment performance and progress information.

1. Overall Performance Summary: The Overall Performance Summary shows how well others have done on the same questions you have answered. This information is displayed when enough peer data becomes available. Because diplomates answer questions at different times, you may see these numbers fluctuate.

2. Your Cycle Performance: Your individual Assessment performance, represented by the percent of the questions answered correctly.

3. Quarterly Progress: The percentage of questions you’ve answered for the current quarter, e.g., 40% complete and the number of remaining questions to answer and by when.

4. Your Assessment Overview: A timeline at the bottom of the page that displays each quarter of the Assessment period. You can view data about your progress and performance from completed quarters as well as view upcoming quarters.

Each quarter ABPCL delivers 10 new questions that include core items based on your certification(s) and elective items from your chosen Elective Practice Areas. You can also receive up to 5 clones of prior questions per quarter based on your previous performance.

Yes, ABPCL features over 30 Elective Practice Areas and a flexible assessment design so you can create an assessment that is relevant to your individual knowledge and practice.

You will be able to access your questions each quarter at the beginning of that quarter. You will receive an email or text (depending on the preference you have selected in your ABPCL profile) with a link to the questions. You must answer all questions by the quarter’s end. You may choose the rate at which you progress through each quarter’s questions. For example, you may answer one question a week, all the questions at one time, or any frequency in between.

Yes, diplomates may use any type of educational resource, except for another person, as long as the question is answered in the allotted time.

No, Assessment is considered an individual activity. You may not use “recalled” questions or answers, or any type of information provided by other diplomates.

Click the “Assessment Details” button on the Progress card or click “Assessment” in the left navigation menu. You will be taken to the Assessment Details page where you can choose to answer questions by clicking “Start Assessment” for random topic delivery or clicking “Begin” in a specific Practice Area.

On the Assessment Details page, you will see a breakdown of the content comprising your Assessment. There you can choose the Practice Area to begin answering questions. Be sure to watch the tutorial videos first! They cover features of the platform and are your set of instructions for getting started.

Once you start a question, you will have 5 minutes to submit your answer. The amount of time remaining will be displayed.

If you have an option selected but don’t click “Submit,” the selected option will be automatically submitted as your answer and scored. If no option is selected when the timer expires, the question will be marked incorrect.

No, you must answer the question within the allotted time once it is opened. An unanswered question is scored as an incorrect response.

If you answered incorrectly, we encourage you to click “Reattempt” to answer the question again. Although only your first attempt is scored, answering the question a second time can help reinforce your understanding of the material. In addition, any questions answered incorrectly are eligible to be redelivered to you in subsequent quarters as a clone. Answering the question clone correctly later will result in the replacement of the previous incorrect score, thus improving your performance.

You can review the Critiques and References related to all questions you have answered in the past by using the “Question History” option on the left navigation menu. There you can also submit feedback about the content of that specific question to ABPath.

Any items left unanswered at the end of a quarter will be considered forfeited and marked as incorrect. Any questions that time out with no answer choice selected will also be marked as incorrect. These questions, along with others you answered incorrectly, may appear as clones in future quarters.

• Please complete your Castor surveys. ABPath reviews all of the questions and overall feedback we receive from the survey.
  
  
• For item-specific feedback: You can submit feedback about question content using the Feedback button at the top of the Critique page after each question. Feedback will be collected after the close of each quarter and presented to our team of experts; any necessary corrections will be made. We are not able to follow up with you individually, but please know your feedback will be carefully reviewed. Changes take about six months to be completed due to the system’s functionality. During that time, you may see a clone of that same question before any corrections have been made. You do not need to provide feedback on the clone question; it will be corrected with the original question.
  
  
• For technical issues, general feedback about the platform, or inquiries regarding policies: Please send an email to certlink@abpath.org or create a Support Ticket by clicking on “Support” in the upper right menu within the ABPCL platform.

You will receive immediate feedback for each answer you submit. ABPCL will also display your cumulative performance over time, as well as your areas of strength and weakness in each Elective Practice Area.

After answering each question, you will receive a “Critique” which provides an explanation of why the options were correct or incorrect and indicates the correct answer. The Key Learning Objective and at least one Reference will also be provided.

You may receive a very similar question called a clone in a future quarter. If you answer a clone correctly, this will count for your final score (i.e., it replaces your incorrect response on the initial question). You may also receive a clone if you answered a question correctly and with low confidence (i.e., a guess). Spaced repetition of questions reinforces learning.

Any questions left unattempted at the close of a quarter are considered forfeited and will be marked as incorrect. 

ABPCL can accommodate special needs (for example, extra time for those who qualify). You must submit the same documentation required for the Primary or Subspecialty examinations to receive accommodation for special needs.

Participation in ABPath CertLink requires answering all questions assigned each quarter. Depending on your prior performance, you will be assigned between 10 and 15 questions per quarter.

Diplomates may request time off (known as a sabbatical) by creating a support ticket directly in ABPCL or emailing certlink@abpath.org.

Quarters approved for sabbatical will count towards the overall participation requirement. Two sabbaticals may be taken per two-year reporting period. Questions not yet attempted in a quarter approved for sabbatical will not be marked incorrect and will not count against you.

A sabbatical request may be made for any quarter of the year before that quarter’s deadline passes.

ABPath CertLink is a longitudinal assessment, so your participation and performance are considered over multiple years. If you miss three or more quarters within a two-year reporting period, and those quarters have not been approved as sabbaticals, your certification status will be reported as “Not Participating in Continuing Certification.”

You must answer at least 60% of the questions over the course of the four-year assessment cycle. This includes, either the initial question or its clone, if presented.

If you do not achieve a passing score of at least 60% by the end of a four-year assessment cycle, you will enter[BW2.1][BW2.2] a one-year remediation period. During this time, you must pass the CC Reinstatement Examination to successfully complete the CC Program Assessment Requirement. You will also continue to answer ABPCL questions as normal during the remediation period.

You will remain certified during the remediation period but will be reported as “Not Participating” in ABPath’s CC Program.

CertLink performance assessment cycles are aligned with the year in which a diplomate was first certified (odd or even year) and begin in January of the calendar year following your first certification and cover the following four years. For example, if you are certified in 2025, your assessment cycle would be 2026-2029.

You will receive notification of your CertLink performance outcome a few weeks after the assessment cycle is complete. A letter documenting your performance result will be posted to your Board Correspondence page in PATHway.

“Page not found” errors can result from a number of different problems. Use the following checklist to try to resolve this problem.

• Click the Refresh button on your browser to reload the page.
• Check if you can access other sites to make sure that your internet connection is functioning properly.
• Make sure that your web browser and internet connection meet the minimum system requirements listed in Technical Requirements.
• Make sure that your anti-virus, firewall, proxy and content filter systems are configured to allow inbound and outbound traffic from the starttest.com sites (you may need assistance from your IT department to check these settings).
• Clear the web browser’s cache.

If you have checked all these possible issues and you still receive the “Page not found” error, you will need to contact ABPCL Support for further assistance by emailing certlink@abpath.org.

Your prior question history is cleared as part of the transition to a new four-year assessment cycle. This is expected and allows the platform to begin tracking performance for your next four-year cycle. Your previous performance has been recorded and is saved.

You may have begun a new four-year CertLink assessment cycle, and your prior question history has been cleared from the platform. CertLink assessment cycles are aligned with the year in which a diplomate was certified.

Once you have completed your first four-year CertLink assessment cycle, you begin a new four-year cycle at the start of Quarter 1 of the next calendar year. As part of this transition, your prior question history is cleared from the CertLink platform, which may cause parts of your dashboard to look different.

If you have anti-virus or firewall software installed on your machine, it may be interfering with question delivery. This software may be a stand-alone application such as Norton or may be part of your browser. Most of these packages allow you to configure them to allow access to sites you approve as safe. Please refer to the help component of your anti-virus or firewall software for further assistance.

Click Readiness on the upper-right menu to run a system check. If you have a fast internet connection and questions are taking more than five seconds to load, verify that you do not have problems connecting to other sites. If you believe it is a problem with the testing site, please contact ABPCL Support by emailing certlink@abpath.org.

You can request ABPCL Support by clicking “Support” on the ABPCL login page or within the ABPCL platform and submitting a ticket.

You can also send an email to certlink@abpath.org. An ABPath CertLink® Support Agent will follow up with you within the ABPath office hours of Monday through Friday, 8 am – 4 pm Eastern Time.