- What the Published Numbers Say
- How to Read a 100% First-Time Rate
- Two Stages, Two Different Pass Rates
- The 2026 Shift: Thesis and QE Eligibility
- Where Candidates Succeed or Stumble: The Blueprint
- What the Data Does Not Tell You
- Using the Pass Data to Sequence Your Preparation
- The Training Pipeline Behind the Numbers
- Frequently Asked Questions
- ABOG reports a 2025 REI first-time written QE pass rate of 100% (N=55) and an oral CE pass rate of 94.7% (N=57).
- The QE and CE are separate examinations; their pass rates should never be blended into one figure.
- From 2026, the thesis moves from CE eligibility to QE eligibility for fellowship graduates.
- The common REI blueprint lists six categories and 27 subcategories but publishes no percentage weights.
What the Published Numbers Say
Candidates searching for an REI pass rate usually want one number. The honest answer is that the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) publishes two, because Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility certification has two distinct examinations: a written Qualifying Examination (QE) and an oral Certifying Examination (CE).
The most recent issuer-authored figures come from the ABOG update presented at the 2026 SMFM Program Directors Meeting. For 2025, it reports:
| Examination | Format | 2025 REI Result | Cohort Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Examination (QE) | Written, delivered through Pearson VUE | 100% first-time pass rate | N=55 |
| Certifying Examination (CE) | Oral | 94.7% pass rate | N=57 |
The same presentation includes QE repeat-taker and overall cohort counts, but those figures are internally inconsistent in the source. For that reason, this article does not assert a reconciled overall pass rate, and you should be skeptical of any site that offers one with false precision. For a broader view of how difficulty relates to these numbers, see our guide on how hard the REI exam really is.
How to Read a 100% First-Time Rate
A perfect first-time written pass rate looks reassuring, and in one sense it is. But a rate like this needs context before it informs your decisions.
The cohort is small and pre-selected
An N of 55 is a single fellowship-graduating class across the country. Every one of those candidates completed medical school, a four-year obstetrics and gynecology residency, and a three-year REI fellowship, the training pathway described in the ASRM 2025 scope-of-practice statement. By the time someone sits for the REI QE, they have already survived years of high-stakes filtering. A near-universal pass rate says more about that filtering than about the examination being trivial.
One year is a data point, not a trend
The 2025 figures describe one cohort. With samples this small, a single additional failure moves the percentage noticeably. A 100% result in one year does not guarantee the same the next, and a 94.7% oral result does not mean five percent of candidates are weak. Treat these numbers as a rough indicator of how well prepared fellowship graduates tend to be, not as a promise about your own outcome.
Two Stages, Two Different Pass Rates
Many candidates mentally merge the written and oral exams. ABOG does not. The common REI blueprint explicitly does not assign separate QE and CE coverage or weights, and the two examinations remain distinct credentials-in-progress.
Qualifying Examination (QE): the written stage
The QE is the written examination delivered through Pearson VUE. Its 100% first-time rate in 2025 reflects how thoroughly fellowship graduates tend to absorb the knowledge base tested in a written format.
- Rewards broad recall and applied reasoning across all six content areas
- Numeric logistics such as fees and testing windows come from the applicable current QE bulletin, not the blueprint
- See REI exam dates and scheduling and REI certification cost for planning details
Certifying Examination (CE): the oral stage
The CE is an oral examination, and its 94.7% rate in 2025 was the lower of the two reported figures. A different skill set is being tested: articulating clinical reasoning aloud, defending management choices, and handling follow-up questions under observation.
- Rewards clear reasoning and structured presentation, not just recall
- Candidates strong on paper can still stumble if they have never rehearsed speaking through a case
- Practice with colleagues or mentors is a distinct preparation task, separate from reading
Because the stages differ so much in format, a candidate who passes the written exam should not assume the oral exam will feel the same. Our REI study guide covers how to prepare for each stage.
The 2026 Shift: Thesis and QE Eligibility
One of the most consequential changes in the ABOG update affects who can sit when. For fellowship graduates from 2026 onward, the thesis moves from a requirement for Certifying Examination eligibility to a requirement for Qualifying Examination eligibility. Earlier graduates retain their prior requirements.
This matters for pass-rate interpretation in two ways. First, the 2025 figures reflect the earlier structure, so future cohorts may not map cleanly onto them. Second, candidates in the new cohort need to have their thesis completed earlier in the process, which changes the timeline of the final fellowship year. If you are planning your path, review the REI eligibility and prerequisites carefully and confirm your own cohort's rules directly with ABOG.
Key Takeaway
Check which eligibility rules apply to your fellowship graduation year before building a timeline. Pre-2026 graduates and 2026-onward graduates face different thesis timing, and confusing the two is an avoidable planning error.
Where Candidates Succeed or Stumble: The Blueprint
ABOG does not publish domain-level pass rates, so no one can honestly tell you which area fails the most candidates. What the issuer does provide is the common REI blueprint: six primary categories and 27 subcategories, with no percentage weights and no separate QE/CE allocation. Because the blueprint is unweighted, you cannot safely assume any domain is minor.
The six domains, with a sample of the subcategories that anchor each, are below. For deeper treatment, see our complete guide to all six REI content areas.
Domain 1: Foundational Reproductive Endocrinology
The scientific substrate everything else rests on.
- Hormone structure and function
- Basic pharmacology
- Laboratory assays and their interpretation
Domain 2: Reproductive Endocrine Function and Disease
The broadest clinical-endocrine domain by subcategory count.
- Reproductive physiology across the lifespan
- Neuroendocrine and thyroid disorders
- Endometrial physiology and abnormal uterine bleeding
- Ovarian and adrenal disorders, idiopathic and iatrogenic
Domain 3: Conception and Pregnancy: Physiology and Pathology
From gametes through early gestation.
- Gamete biology and early embryo development
- Endocrinology of pregnancy
- Early pregnancy and recurrent pregnancy loss
Domain 4: Fertility and Infertility
The domain closest to daily subspecialty practice.
- Female fertility and infertility; male infertility
- Fertility treatment special considerations
- Assisted reproductive technology (ART) techniques
- Fertility preservation
Domain 5: Anatomic Reproductive Disorders
Seven subcategories of structural and surgical pathology.
- Pelvic adhesive disease, endometriosis, adenomyosis
- Congenital anomalies of the reproductive tract
- Asherman syndrome, leiomyomas, endometrial polyps
Domain 6: Reproductive Genetics
Two subcategories, but interpretive depth matters.
- Understanding of genetic testing and screening
- Application of genetic screening and testing to patient care
What the Data Does Not Tell You
Responsible use of pass-rate data means knowing its limits. Several things people commonly claim are not established by the issuer materials:
- No published passing score in these sources. The blueprint and the program-directors update do not state a cut score. For what is and is not known, see our page on the REI passing score.
- No domain-level pass rates. You cannot rank domains by failure rate from public data.
- No weights. The six categories and 27 subcategories are listed without percentages, so any practice-question allocation, including ours, is editorial rather than official.
- No reconciled overall rate. Because of the internal inconsistencies in the QE repeat and cohort counts, a single blended figure cannot be defended.
- Dates are historical. The update lists 2026 subspecialty QE on July 20 and CE on April 13-17. These are historical 2026 dates, not an invitation to book those slots, and you should rely on the current bulletin for future windows.
Also note that the blueprint URL contains "2026" but prints no formal revision or effective date, so treat the document as the current index-linked version rather than a dated edition.
Using the Pass Data to Sequence Your Preparation
The one useful inference from an unweighted blueprint is defensive: spread your effort so no domain is a gap. Here is a sequencing approach tied to REI content rather than generic scheduling advice.
Foundations first (Domain 1)
- Hormone structure, pharmacology, and assay interpretation underpin every later domain
- Fluency here makes Domains 2 and 4 faster to learn
Endocrine disease and early pregnancy (Domains 2 and 3)
- Pair thyroid, neuroendocrine, and ovarian/adrenal disorders with the endocrinology of pregnancy
- Recurrent pregnancy loss bridges both domains
Clinical core and anatomy (Domains 4 and 5)
- ART techniques, male factor, and fertility preservation alongside the seven anatomic subcategories
- Link fibroid, polyp, and Asherman management to fertility outcomes
Genetics and oral rehearsal (Domain 6 plus CE skills)
- Review testing and screening concepts, then practice applying them to cases
- Rehearse presenting management reasoning aloud for the oral stage
For a compact end-of-prep review, the REI cheat sheet condenses the must-know facts, and our REI practice tests let you check retention across all six domains.
The Training Pipeline Behind the Numbers
Pass rates make more sense once you see who is sitting. The ASRM 2025 scope-of-practice statement describes the pathway: medical school, a four-year obstetrics and gynecology residency, then a three-year REI fellowship. This is a professional-society training summary, not an ABOG blueprint, but it frames the population behind the statistics.
That pipeline is also why interest in the credential extends beyond the exam itself. Candidates weigh the investment against what follows, which we cover in our analysis of whether the REI certification is worth it, along with the REI salary guide and the practical landscape of REI jobs. If you are new to the field's terminology, start with what REI is. Note that certification does not end at the exam: the ABOG update lists continuing-certification participation as required to remain certified.
Frequently Asked Questions
ABOG's update to SMFM program directors reports a 2025 first-time pass rate of 100% (N=55) on the written Qualifying Examination and 94.7% (N=57) on the oral Certifying Examination. These are two separate exams with two separate rates.
Not one that can be defended. The issuer's QE repeat and overall cohort counts are internally inconsistent, so no reconciled overall rate is asserted. Quote the first-time QE and CE figures separately instead.
No. The cohorts are small and consist of candidates who completed residency and a three-year fellowship. High rates mostly reflect that prior screening and preparation, not low difficulty.
ABOG does not publish domain-level pass rates, and the common REI blueprint lists six categories and 27 subcategories without percentage weights. Prepare evenly across all six domains rather than guessing at a weak spot.
For fellowship graduates from 2026 onward, the thesis moves from Certifying Examination eligibility to Qualifying Examination eligibility. Earlier graduates retain their previous requirements, so confirm which rule applies to your graduation year.