ABA SOE and OSCE pass rates, 2021 to 2025, and what is changing

By The MockOral.ai team. Updated October 2026. Last reviewed October 22, 2026.

The ABA publishes yearly success rates for each part of initial certification. Over five years the SOE rate fell from 88% to 83% and the OSCE rate from 96% to 86%. Here are the numbers exactly as published, what they do and do not include, and the changes to the exam from 2026 on.

The numbers

From the ABA's 2025 Exam Results report. These are success rates for all candidates, first-time takers and retakers combined.

The same report states that 71,872 physicians had been certified in anesthesiology as of Dec. 31, 2025.

What the numbers say

• SOE: 88% in 2021, a high of 90% in 2022, then 83% in both 2024 and 2025. That is 7 percentage points below the 2022 figure.
• OSCE: a steady decline every year, from 96% in 2021 to 86% in 2025, a fall of 10 points.
• Put differently: in 2025, roughly 1 in 6 SOE candidates and 1 in 7 OSCE candidates did not succeed.

What the numbers do not say

• They are not first-time pass rates. Retakers are included, and retakers can have different results from first-time candidates. The report does not split the two.
• They do not give candidate counts. The report shows percentages only, so the size of each cohort is not public in this document.
• They do not explain the change. The ABA's report does not give a reason for the decline, and we will not guess at one. Anyone who tells you exactly why pass rates moved is speculating.

What is changing about the exam

These are documented changes that take effect in 2026 or later, after the years in the table, so none of them can explain the 2021 to 2025 numbers. They matter for the exam you will sit:

1. OSCE content is expanding. The ABA OSCE Content Outline marks new testing areas by year: qualitative and quantitative neuromuscular blockade monitoring and fetal heart rate monitoring from 2026; ultrasound of airway structures, bladder volume assessment, airway blocks and an Airway Management section from 2027; and erector spinae, PECS, fascia iliaca and quadratus lumborum blocks from 2028. The ABA FAQ confirms point-of-care ultrasound is tested in both technical stations.
2. An eighth OSCE station pilot in 2027. Every 2027 candidate will complete an unscored airway management or team-based skills station. The ABA says it will not affect results.
3. Registration moved to designated windows. The ABA says it converted APPLIED registration from a continuous model to designated windows, with a September window for the next year and additional windows (February and June in 2026) for newly eligible and one-component candidates.
4. Fees went up for 2026. $2,500 for both components and $1,250 per component for a retake, which the ABA attributed to inflation after fees had been stable since 2020.

What this means for your preparation

• Do not underestimate the OSCE. It has fallen every year in this report. Five of its seven scored stations are communication encounters that reward out-loud practice. See the OSCE stations explained.
• Practise the SOE format, not just the content. The SOE assesses organization and presentation alongside judgment. Read how to answer concisely.
• Plan for both components. They are scored separately, and failing either means a retake of that component. See the retake rules.

Planning for both outcomes

A realistic plan accounts for the chance of a retake without dwelling on it:

• Know the cost. A retake is $1,250 per component, and you retake only the component you did not pass.
• Know the timing. The ABA Policy Book sets a minimum of four months before the next attempt, and seats come through registration windows, so a fall failure can mean waiting until the following spring or later.
• Know your deadline. Candidates who finished residency on or after Jan. 1, 2012 must complete certification within seven years of the end of the year residency ended.
• Know what helps. Out-loud, timed practice with interruptions is easy to under-do. A few extra mock sessions cost far less than a retake.

Where to find the data

The ABA posts its results report as a PDF on theaba.org. The figures above are from the 2025 report, linked in the sources below. When the 2026 report is published we will update this page.