One important task carried out by the Working Group in Acute Cardiac Care during last year has been the organisation of the accreditation on Acute Cardiac Care.
During this period we have written the Core Curriculum, that defines the learning objectives, the training programme and the syllabus.
Initiative's background
In the last years, the clinical characteristics of the population of patients treated in Intensive Cardiac Care Units (ICCU) have changed substantially: nowadays, ICCUs treat an ever older and sicker group of patients with a cardiac condition and often severe comorbidities. In most European countries, the care of these patients is left to other specialists, with little involvement from cardiologists.
Thus, the aim of the subspecialty accreditation in Acute Cardiac Care is to have a very well trained group of cardiologist in Acute Cardiac Care that will offer state of the art treatment for patients with severe cardiac illnesses.
It is expected that this initiative will provide a more uniform treatment of critically ill cardiac patients all over Europe, reducing inequalities among countries and improving over all outcomes.
First pilot examination at the ESC Congress 2007
During the ESC congress in Vienna, we organised the first pilot examination to obtain the accreditation. Although the announcement was a very short notice, and only 20 seats were available, 18 candidates signed up for the examination although only 16 showed up.
The examination consisted of 100 multiple choices answers and it had to be completed in 2 hours. A 60% correct answers were requested to succeed.
Finally, 15 cardiologists finished the exam and 8 achieved the requested mark.
We expect that the candidates who succeeded will send shortly the log books and the other requirements, to be fully accredited. All the information in relation to accreditation can be obtained here.
Future examinations and improvements
In the future, the Working Group will have one examination every year, during the ESC Annual Congress.
Several changes will be introduced, primarily a more prolonged time to complete the exam, since two hours was perceived as too short, and some questions will be related to clinical cases.