Written by Dr. Roupen Odabashian MD, FRCPC
Hematologist-Oncologist | Founder, MeDucation AI | Updated November 2026
The verdict: MKSAP is not built for you. ACP MKSAP is a general internal medicine resource whose heme/onc content sits inside 16 broad subspecialty sections aimed at ABIM internal medicine recertification, not the ABIM Hematology or Medical Oncology Certification exams[1]. If you are a heme/onc fellow or a practicing oncologist/hematologist studying for your subspecialty boards, MKSAP's oncology and hematology chapters are too shallow and too diluted by cardiology, GI, and nephrology content to be your primary bank. ASCO-SEP and ASH-SAP, which are written specifically to the ABIM subspecialty blueprints, are the better buy for that purpose[2]. MKSAP earns its reputation among internists and residents prepping for the general ABIM Internal Medicine exam, where more than 90% of residents already use it[1], but that is a different exam with a different blueprint.
Conflict of interest, up front: I'm a practicing hematologist-oncologist and I founded MeDucation AI, which sells a physician-written heme/onc question bank and other board-prep tools. I have no financial relationship with ACP, ASCO, ASH, or BoardVitals. Where those products genuinely fit a heme/onc fellow's prep plan better than mine, I'll say so below.
Which board review should you actually buy for medical oncology and hematology in 2026?
Match the product to the exam you're sitting for, not to brand recognition. Here's how the major options stack up on price, volume, format, and fit.
Rank | Product | Price (as published) | Question Volume | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ASCO-SEP | Subscription, described as "quite affordable"; exact price not published in the source cited[2] | Not disclosed in source; chapter-based digital content[2] | Medical oncology fellows studying to the ABIM Medical Oncology blueprint |
2 | ASH-SAP | Not disclosed in cited source | 259 multiple-choice questions plus six tests totaling 75 CME/MOC credits[2] | Hematology fellows and hematologists studying to the ABIM Hematology blueprint |
3 | BoardVitals Heme/Onc Board Review | $159 (Cram, 1 month) to $429 (Master, 6 months)[3] | 600+ questions[3] | Fellows who want a dedicated heme/onc MCQ bank with a mobile app and adaptive practice |
4 | BoardVitals Heme/Onc MOC/LKA Prep | $289 (Cram) to $689 (Master)[4] | 550+ questions[4] | Practicing oncologists and hematologists doing MOC or LKA |
5 | ACP MKSAP (current edition) | Pricing varies by membership tier and 1-year vs 3-year term[1] | Launches with almost 2,000 questions across all of internal medicine, not oncology-specific[1] | Internal medicine residents and generalists prepping for ABIM Internal Medicine boards |
6 | HemeOncQuestions (HOQ)</td> | Pricing not published in a verified source here; see our full review | Large single-author question bank | Low-cost supplemental volume alongside a blueprint-specific primary resource |
For a deeper dive into HOQ specifically, see our HemeOncQuestions review. For how BoardVitals performs in detail, see our oncology board review question bank comparison.
What exactly is MKSAP, and who is it actually built for?
MKSAP is Internal Medicine's flagship self-assessment program, now in its 60th year, built around the full ABIM Internal Medicine blueprint, not a subspecialty blueprint[1]. The American College of Physicians describes it as "the most trusted resource in continuous learning for internal medicine physicians and residents," developed with help from more than 400 experts across internal medicine and its subspecialties[1]. The current edition launches with a single combined question bank of almost 2,000 questions spanning 16 subspecialty content areas, plus nearly 2,000 adaptive flashcards[1]. More than 90% of internal medicine residents use MKSAP to prepare for their boards[1], which tells you exactly who the core audience is: residents and general internists, not fellows narrowing into hematology or oncology.
That breadth is the whole point of MKSAP, and it's also exactly why it's the wrong primary tool for a heme/onc fellow. Oncology and hematology are two of 16 content areas competing for space in one subscription, alongside cardiology, pulmonology, nephrology, and the rest of internal medicine[1]. A product engineered to cover that much ground cannot go nearly as deep into oncology drug mechanisms, cytogenetics-driven treatment decisions, or transplant eligibility nuance as a bank written specifically for the ABIM Hematology or Medical Oncology exam blueprint.
How much does MKSAP actually cost in 2026?
MKSAP pricing runs from $415 for a one-year resident membership subscription up to $1,275 for a three-year non-member subscription[1]. The full published pricing grid is below.
Category | 1-Year Subscription | 3-Year Subscription |
|---|
ACP notes that "prices subject to change without notice" and that purchasing directly through ACP provides the best pricing[1]. Group discounts begin for orders of 10 or more subscriptions, which matters if your program is considering a site license[1]. The legacy MKSAP 19 product, which some fellows may still reference, is no longer available as of August 31, 2026, and has fully transitioned to the new all-digital ACP MKSAP subscription[5].
Does MKSAP actually cover the ABIM Medical Oncology or Hematology exam blueprint?
Not directly, no. MKSAP is built to the ABIM Internal Medicine blueprint and is explicitly marketed for Internal Medicine board readiness, with ACP stating "more than 90% of internal medicine residents use MKSAP to prepare for the Boards"[1]. Nowhere in ACP's own description of the product does it claim alignment with the ABIM Medical Oncology or Hematology Certification blueprints.
Compare that to what the ABIM blueprint for Medical Oncology actually weights. The current content outline, effective beginning with the Fall 2026 traditional certification exam, breaks down as follows[6].
Content Category | Target % of Exam |
|---|---|
Gastrointestinal Cancer | 13.5%[6] |
Breast Cancer | 13.5%[6] |
Hematologic Neoplasms | 13%[6] |
Genitourinary Cancer | 12%[6] |
Palliative Care, Survivorship, and Communication | 11%[6] |
Thoracic Cancer | 11.5%[6] |
Skin Cancer, Sarcomas, and Unknown Primary Site | 7%[6] |
Clinical Research Methodology and Ethics | 6.5%[6] |
Head, Neck, Thyroid, and CNS Malignancies | 6.5%[6] |
Gynecologic Cancer | 5.5%[6] |
The ABIM Hematology blueprint is weighted differently again, with Hematologic Neoplastic Disorders at 35%, Coagulation at 27%, the Hematopoietic System at 25%, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation at 8%, and Transfusion Medicine at 5%[3]. A resource that spreads its questions across many unrelated subspecialty areas may not deliver the same proportional depth against either of these blueprints as a bank built specifically for them.
What do ASCO-SEP and ASH-SAP offer instead, and are they better for fellows?
Yes, for the subspecialty boards specifically, they are the better-targeted choice. ASH-SAP, now in its eighth edition, is described by ASH as "a comprehensive resource to help hematologists stay current with the latest advances in adult and pediatric hematology," and it "includes the online textbook, plus six tests featuring 75 CME/MOC credits" and 259 multiple-choice questions with illustrations, graphics, key points, animations, and a glossary[2]. ASCO's SEP program is "a comprehensive tool that provides digital chapters with information written, edited, and peer-reviewed by oncology experts" and is described as a subscription that is "usually available to oncology trainees" and "quite affordable" though a specific price isn't published in the source reviewed here[2].
Both are written to the specific hematology and oncology blueprints by experts in those specific fields, rather than being one section inside a 16-section general internal medicine product. For a full breakdown of each, read our standalone reviews: Is ASH-SAP Worth It in 2026? and Is ASCO-SEP Worth It in 2026?
Is BoardVitals a better volume option for heme/onc specifically?
If you want sheer MCQ volume built specifically for the ABIM heme/onc blueprints, yes, BoardVitals beats MKSAP on relevance even though it's a smaller bank in absolute question count. BoardVitals' Hematology Oncology Board Review offers "more than 600 Hematology and Oncology board review practice questions with detailed explanations for both correct and incorrect responses prepared and reviewed by top physicians certified in Medical Oncology and Hemepath"[3], explicitly targeted to the ABIM exam blueprint. Their separate MOC and LKA product offers "more than 550 Hematology and Oncology MOC board review practice questions," also blueprint-aligned[4].
BoardVitals' certification exam offering is priced from $159 for a one-month Cram plan up to $429 for a six-month Master plan, and both come with a stated "100% Pass Guarantee" and an optional CME certificate worth 27 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits[3]. The MOC/LKA product runs from $289 to $689 across the same plan structure[4]. Where BoardVitals genuinely wins over MKSAP for a heme/onc trainee is specificity: every question maps to the actual subspecialty blueprint rather than diluting across internal medicine.
