Pediatric Pulmonology Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts

The Exam Snapshot: Numbers You Must Know

This page condenses what a candidate for Certification in Pediatric Pulmonology needs on a single screen: how the exam is built, how it is scored, and where the points concentrate. The credential is administered by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), and testing is delivered through Prometric. Nothing here applies to any other credential that happens to share a similar name.

On the pass rate: the 73% first-time figure is a national number reported for 2024. It is encouraging, but it describes a cohort, not your odds. Our breakdown of what the pass-rate data shows explains how to interpret it without over- or under-confidence.

All 19 Domains and Their Weights

The content outline effective November 1, 2026 lists 19 domains with approximate published weights that total 100%. Versions of the outline may vary slightly, so always confirm against the official ABP document at abp.org. Note that the October 2025 subboard approval date is not the effective date; the November 1, 2026 date is what governs the upcoming exam.

Three observations from the table. First, the distribution is fairly flat: no domain exceeds 9%, so there is no single topic you can safely skip. Second, the three largest domains (Asthma at 9%, Common Signs and Symptoms at 8%, and Core Principles of Pulmonary Diagnosis and Monitoring Techniques at 8%) together account for roughly a quarter of the exam. Third, the smallest domain, Respiratory System Under Stress at 3%, is still worth several questions on a 200-item exam. For the full narrative treatment of each area, see the complete guide to all 19 content areas.

High-Yield Core: Asthma, Symptoms, and Diagnostics

Asthma (9%)

Common Signs and Symptoms (8%)

This domain rewards symptom-to-diagnosis reasoning. Chronic cough, wheeze, stridor, hemoptysis, chest pain, dyspnea, and exercise intolerance each have a structured pediatric differential. Practice working from the presenting complaint plus age to the most efficient next test. Questions often hinge on a single discriminating feature, such as wet versus dry cough, inspiratory versus expiratory noise, or onset in the neonatal period versus later childhood.

Core Principles of Pulmonary Diagnosis and Monitoring Techniques (8%)

Airway and Lung Disease Facts to Memorize

Cystic Fibrosis (6%) and Non-CF Bronchiectasis (4%)

Together these two domains are worth 10%, and they are conceptually linked: both involve chronic airway infection, impaired clearance, and structural damage. Keep the distinction clean, though.

Respiratory Infections (6%)

Focus on pediatric-specific pathogens and syndromes: bronchiolitis, pneumonia (including complicated pneumonia with effusion or empyema), tuberculosis, pertussis, fungal and atypical infections, and infections in immunocompromised hosts. Stems commonly ask for the next best step in diagnosis or the appropriate antimicrobial choice and duration.

Interstitial and Restrictive Disease (5% each)

Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) differs substantially from adult ILD. Review neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy, surfactant protein and ABCA3 disorders, pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis, and the role of imaging and biopsy. For restrictive disease, connect chest wall and neuromuscular causes to restrictive physiology and to long-term respiratory support decisions.

Neonatal, Respiratory Failure, and Sleep/Control of Breathing

These three domains interlock. A child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, for example, can generate a question touching restrictive disease, sleep-disordered breathing, and chronic respiratory failure in a single stem. Studying by system rather than by silo helps.

Smaller Domains That Still Cost Points

The 3-5% domains are where candidates lose avoidable points because they study them last and least. A short list of anchors:

• Congenital and Acquired Malformations of the Airways and Lungs (5%): congenital pulmonary airway malformation, sequestration, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, tracheoesophageal fistula, laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia, subglottic stenosis, and vascular rings and slings.
• Pulmonary Vascular and Lymphatic Diseases (4%): pediatric pulmonary hypertension classification and treatment, pulmonary embolism, alveolar hemorrhage syndromes, and chylothorax and lymphatic disorders.
• Lung Disease Associated with Systemic Disorders (4%): sickle cell acute chest syndrome, connective tissue and rheumatologic disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and post-transplant or oncologic lung complications.
• Environmental Injuries and Exposures, Acute and Chronic (4%): smoke and vaping-associated injury, inhalation injuries, drowning, aspiration of foreign bodies and hydrocarbons, and chronic air-pollution and secondhand-smoke effects.
• Respiratory System Under Stress (3%): exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, high-altitude effects, and the respiratory response to physiologic and clinical stressors.
• Other Disorders of the Respiratory System (5%): a catch-all domain; expect a mix of conditions that do not sit neatly elsewhere.
• Lung Development and Physiology (6%): stages of lung development, surfactant physiology, mechanics, gas exchange, and the regulation of ventilation.
• Core Knowledge in Scholarly Activities and Health Equity (4%): research design, biostatistics, interpreting evidence, quality improvement, and equity in access to pulmonary care. Do not neglect it; it is purely recall-and-reasoning points that many clinicians underprepare.

Scheduling Your Review by Domain Weight

Generic study methods matter less than allocating time where the points are. One practical approach is to sequence your final review by interlocking systems rather than by outline number, front-loading the heavy domains while saving room for the small ones. The timeline below is an example for an eight-week runway; adjust it to your calendar and to the November 5, 2026 exam date. For a full strategy, see our study guide for passing on the first attempt.

Registration, Fees, and Eligibility Mechanics

Fee and Cost Basics

The official indexed regular fee is $2,992, which includes a $750 processing component. Treat this as the headline figure and confirm current amounts, deadlines, and any late or alternate fees directly with the ABP, since fee schedules are updated. The full pricing breakdown walks through the cost picture in detail, and if you are weighing the investment, our ROI analysis and salary guide cover the return side.

Eligibility in Brief

The traditional pathway requires a medical or osteopathic degree, general pediatrics certification, a three-year subspecialty fellowship, and completion of scholarly requirements. Two points need direct confirmation with the ABP rather than assumption: current license and attestation details, and whether the announced new training model applies to your situation. Our requirements guide lays out the prerequisites, and the exam dates page covers scheduling. The official date listing is at abp.org.

Exam-Day Rules: What Is Not Confirmed

Initial-certification rules on open-book access, calculator use, remote delivery, and breaks have not been verified for this article. Do not rely on rules from other exams or from the continuing-certification pathway. Check the ABP's candidate materials and your Prometric confirmation before test day.

After You Pass

Continuing certification runs on a five-year cycle, using either MOCA-Peds or an examination pathway. Plan for that ongoing commitment from the start. If you are mapping career options after certification, see the overview of pediatric pulmonology jobs; the usual employers are children's hospitals, academic medical centers, and pediatric subspecialty practices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use this sheet as a map, not a substitute for depth. Pair it with the overview of the certification and the full domain guide, and check every date, fee, and rule against the ABP before you commit to a test window.