LA-PMR

LA-PM&R Performance: How Reattempt Questions Work

The ABPMR has updated the program design of Longitudinal Assessment for PM&R (LA-PM&R) to better align with formative assessment goals and a focus on credit for learning. Specifically, reattempt questions were introduced to the system, and we want to ensure diplomates understand these types of questions and how they affect your LA-PM&R performance.

What are reattempt questions?

If you answer a question incorrectly one quarter, you’ll see the same question (reattempt) in the next quarter. Reattempt questions are meant to reinforce knowledge and encourage learning by giving you another chance to answer the exact question you previously missed.

Importantly, reattempts offer you an opportunity to get full credit for a question you answered incorrectly in a previous quarter—as if you never answered incorrectly at all. This design helps incentivize learning and improvement over time.

How many questions will I get each quarter?

Your performance in each quarter determines how many questions you have the following quarter, so the number of questions varies for each diplomate. Here’s how many and the type of questions to expect each quarter:

• Quarter 1: 20 questions

• Quarter 2: 15 new questions + any reattempts from Q1

• Quarter 3: 15 new questions + any reattempts from Q2

• Quarter 4: 10 article-based questions + any reattempts from Q3

As an example, say you answer 12 out of 20 questions correctly in Quarter 1. In Quarter 2, you’ll get 15 new questions plus 8 reattempt questions—the same questions you answered incorrectly in Quarter 1— for a total of 23 questions in Quarter 2.

How do reattempt questions affect my performance on LA-PM&R?

You will be awarded full credit if you correctly answer a reattempt question even though you missed the original question in a previous quarter. As another scoring reminder, LA-PM&R is on a five-year cycle, and at the end of four years (16 quarters) your four lowest quarters will be dropped from scoring. This allows you to take a longer break (up to a full year), or take shorter breaks from the platform if needed, or simply to account for unexpected issues that result in lower performance or inability to answer questions in a given quarter.

To keep track of your LA-PM&R performance, use the Review Screen and Question History learning tool within the platform to see how many questions you’ve answered in each content area, check your past performance on questions, and review rationales for individual questions to continue improving your knowledge throughout LA-PM&R.

Please reach out to the board office if you have questions about LA-PM&R— we’re happy to help!