Cardiac Pacing and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICDs) Certification

Certification examination organised by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA)

Forthcoming Exam:

Date	Place	Time
Wednesday 13 June 2012	Cardiostim Congress 2012	09:00

Application Fee:

Regular fee	€200
EHRA Members fee	€170
Re-sit fee	€100

In the event that a participant wishes to cancel their registration to the Certification examination, written confirmation to the EHRA Certification office is required, up to 2 weeks prior the event. A refund of fees will be made.
After this deadline, the candidate will be charged with a penalty of 50% of the certification cost and refunded the difference.
In case of unforeseen circumstances (such as death in the family, on-call at the hospital, accident of the candidate...), a proof document will be required and the candidate will be refunded with the entire registration fee.

Exam requirements | Documents to submit | Examination process | How to prepare

Requirements

The certification examinations are run in two steps:

Theoretical part: written exam. Candidates will have to pass this first section successfully before going to the second section. The examination is in English. A glossary is provided.
Practical part: log book section. Candidates must submit a list of at least 100 implantations performed as first operator (including 20 ICDs, 10 CRTs) and follow up of a total of 200 procedures (including 40 ICDs, 20 CRTs) performed during a period 3 consecutive years. Candidates can start compiling their logbook before sitting the Theoretical part. The logbook must be sent through an electronic platform: the E-Logbook. Candidates have 3 years after the exam to provide it.

To sit a the certification examination, candidates have to be a Cardiology Specialist (issued by a National Authority of Health or the European Union or, in the future, by the UEMS)

Documents to submit and complete the certification process after having successfully passed the theorical examination:

Letter of Endorsement from the National Society
Letter of support from a Supervisor
Cardiologist Title
List of Procedures (Log Book)
- Device Follow-up
- Device Implantation

Examination

The certification is run in two steps:

1- The theoretical examination

It is compiled by the Certification Committee, essentially consists of a 130 multiple-choice question test.

Answers are to be reported on a mark sheet.

Questions are based on the analysis of practical clinical cases and decision making (60-80%), with the remaining dedicated to theoretical questions.
10 questions out of the 130 are back up questions and are used only for internal process. The final mark is thus based on 120 questions and is calculated on 75% of the 5 best scores and must be superior to 60% of the questions. In case the number of candidates is blow thirty (30) the passing score will be calculated on 75% of the best three (3) scores, and must be superior to 60% of the questions.

There is no appeal procedure after the exam.

The examination is designed to be completed in two consecutive parts of 3 hours with a 60 minutes lunch break:
         - 9:00 - 12:00: 1st part
         - 12:00 - 13:00: Lunch break (lunch is provided by EHRA)
         - 13:00 - 16:00: 2nd part*
Participants are required to sign in at least 30 minutes before the start, IDs will be checked.
Participants will have to sign out the registration list upon handing out their copy (for both parts).
Participants will be asked to fill in a feedback questionnaire.

*EHRA reserves the right to modify the above schedule if required.

Results are sent within 2 months after the examination, by email.

2- Log book section

Once candidates have passed the theoretical examination, they must proof practical experience in the field: Experience in at least 100 implantations (including 20 ICDs, 10 CRTs) and follow up of a total of 200 procedures (including 40 ICDs, 20 CRTs). Experience should be gathered during 3 consecutives years.

Candidates must submit their logbook on the E-Logbook platform.

Exam candidates from session before June 2010 exam can choose between the E-Logbook and the paper logbook to be sent to the European Heart House - EHRA Certification Office (2035 route des Colles - les Templiers - BP 179 - 06903 Sophia Antipolis)

Upon passing the theoretical examination, candidates will receive the details to access the E-Logbook platform.

A grader from the EHRA certification committee will grade the log books. On average, review process takes 2 months. Upon passing the whole certification process, candidates will receive a certficate.

As a security, candidates should keep a copy of their log book.

Final results are sent by email.

Certification is valid for a period of 10 years.

You are allowed to take the written exam before completing the rest of the requirements for certification and you will get an official certification if you succeed it.
However, to obtain the FULL official Certification, you must provide the above documents after at most a period of 3 years.

How to prepare the examination

EHRA offers the possibility to follow Educational Courses. Attending the courses may also enable participants to get further knowledge to sit and pass the certification examination.