EHRA Allied Professionals in Cardiac Pacing and ICDs Certification

The EHRA exam in cardiac pacing evaluates the knowledge, experience and clinical expertise of allied professionals with a special focus on cardiac pacing.

We envisage a successful EHRA certification process to serve as a sign of excellence for allied professionals. In order to enhance the quality level of the exam we continuously focus our efforts on improving the number, content, layout, and statistical power of the questions.

We strongly recommend that allied professionals who wish to take the EHRA exam acquire the required knowledge and clinical experience before taking the exam. 

A short questionnaire asking for details of the candidates’ clinical background will be part of the registration process for the exam.

EHRA AP exams in English and Dutch - take your exams from anywhere

There's no need to travel anymore! Take the exam online, from your computer, at your home.

Schedule

The examination is designed to be completed in two parts of three hours each, with a 60-minute lunch break.

You will be able to start the first part of your exam at any time from 09:00 to 11:00 CEST. 

Your EHRA online exam - what you need to know

For the first time, EHRA offers the possibility of taking the exam online. Here is everything you need to know in order to participate!

What is this new online format?

EHRA provides you with the safety and convenience of an online platform while retaining the integrity and quality of an on-site supervised exam. 

The exam is:

• offered everywhere in the world
• identical in content, format and on-screen experience to previous on-site exams delivered on tablets
• taken on your own device (computer) and monitored by a human proctor online through ProctorU^®

What equipment do candidates need?

You must verify that your computer meets the requirements before you register for the EHRA AP exam. If this is not the case, you will not be able to take the exam. 

You will need:

• a strong and stable internet connection
• a webcam, speakers and a microphone

We highly recommend that you check all of the system requirements available here.  

We also recommend that you test your equipment while you are on that page to verify you have the necessary equipment to take the exam. 

How can I register for this exam?

It is a two-step registration process:

• Start your registration with EHRA
• Complete your registration with ProctorU^®

Start your registration with EHRA

After having verified that your equipment meets the requirements, you can start your registration with EHRA. 

You will need to complete a pre-exam questionnaire and pay the exam registration fee. 

When you finish, you'll receive an email from the ESC with your invoice to confirm your payment.

Complete your registration with ProctorU^®

Once you have registered with EHRA and pay your exam fee, you will get an email with a link to complete your registration with ProctorU^®.

You will need to create a ProctorU^® account. Then at the pre-defined exam date, you will be able to choose the time slot you would like to take the exam. When you finish, you will receive a confirmation email. 

What can I expect on the exam day?

You can find more information about what to expect on the examination day below and also on ProctorU^® website.

Before the exam session begins

• Fix any issues you may encounter on your computer. All issues must be resolved before your appointment time
• Close all browsers and applications not needed for the exam
• Gather the documents you will need to identify you (passport, ID document with photo)
• Make sure your exam environment meets the requirements:
  • your room is quiet and well lit
  • you are alone in the room
  • your workspace is clear from all materials and unauthorised supports
  • there are no sounds from music or television around
• Make sure you have dressed appropriately, with your face visible to the proctor

Check-in and identification process

• Log in to your ProctorU^® account at your appointment time
• Complete the authentication steps, which include showing your ID to the proctor. The name on your ID must match the name provided during the registration process
• Follow the proctor instructions. You will have to:
  • Give access permission to your computer screen for monitoring purposes
  • Use your camera to show a 360-degree view of your room
• If everything goes well, the proctor will let you start your exam

The check-in and identification process can take approximately 5 to 10 minutes.

During the exam

Your entire exam will be recorded by ProctorU^® and monitored by a human proctor. 

• During the exam, the proctor will monitor you (via the camera) and your computer screen to ensure you follow all exam procedures
• You must be visible to the proctor at any time of the exam session. No breaks are allowed
• You can interact with the proctor by speaking to him/her or using the chat option
• You are not allowed to take notes on paper during the examination

The exam policies are:

• Don't use any unauthorized materials, including mobile devices, prewritten notes or books
• The use of any recording equipment is strictly prohibited
• Don't communicate with anyone other than the proctor
• Speaking aloud during the exam is strictly prohibited
• You cannot be out of camera view. No breaks are allowed during the whole duration of the exam
• Taking pictures, screenshots or trying to copy/paste any element of the exam content is strictly prohibited
• You must behave in an appropriate manner. Any conduct that the proctor may deem vulgar, offensive, pornographic, obscene, abusive or criminal are strictly prohibited

Suspicious actions are flagged in the online proctoring system and will be reported to the ESC.  

If the proctor detects any suspicious activities or movements, he/she can terminate your exam session at any time, your exam will be invalidated and your fee won't be refunded. 

Any irregularity in relation to the ESC Online Proctoring Examinations policies and rules mentioned above can lead to sanctions as described in the Online Proctoring Examination Terms & Conditions. 

What if I have technical issues?

If you experience a technical problem during the test, notify the proctor by speaking to him/her or via chat. 

If you get disconnected or if you lose your internet connection momentarily, you will automatically be reconnected. 

If you are unable to reconnect or speak to the proctor, you can call ProctorU for assistance. 

Registration fees

EHRA AP/CP online exam in English will be held on 15 September 2023.

Registration will open 3 months prior to exam date.

In order to respect exam capacity, registrations were managed on a first come, first served basis.

We encourage you to register online for future exams as early as possible to guarantee a seat.

Registration for all ESC administered exams closes 15 days prior to the examination with no exceptions.

However, registration may close earlier when the exam capacity is reached.

*To benefit from member fees, you must be a validated member before registering for the exam. This fee is only available for EHRA Members.

**Please note that the resit fee is reserved only for candidates who have sat and failed the exam in the past: it cannot be used by candidates under any other circumstances.

EHRA AP/CP online exam in Dutch:

More information concerning the exam in 2023 will be communicated in due time.

In order to respect exam capacity, registrations will be managed on a first come, first served basis.

We encourage you to register online as early as possible to guarantee a seat.

Registration for all ESC administered exams closes 15 days prior to the examination with no exceptions.

However, registration may close earlier when the exam capacity is reached.

*To benefit from member fees, you must be a validated member before registering for the exam. This fee is only available for EHRA Members.

**Please note that the resit fee is reserved only for candidates who have sat and failed the exam in the past: it cannot be used by candidates under any other circumstances.

Healthcare companies or third-party agencies

Please note that Healthcare companies or third-party agencies cannot use a delegate’s My ESC account or create a delegate My ESC account for registering their delegates. This will result in the cancellation of the registration of your delegate. This is Individual Registration only.

Candidate confirms that this is a purchase 'by myself' as an individual, and the Billing Address is correct. Candidate understands that after payment has been made, changes in the invoice details will not be possible.

Cancellation policy

If a participant wishes to cancel his/her registration for the certification exam he/she should contact us.

Please take careful note that the cancellation policy on refunds is as follows:

.Up to four weeks before the exam start date and upon receipt of written cancellation request,

a refund of fees minus a 30% administrative charge will be processed.

.If the cancellation request is made less than four weeks before the exam start date, no refund will be granted.

Should a candidate not attend the exam for whatever reason, no further claims for reimbursement or waiving of fees can be made. Similarly, no right to further claims or waiving of fees will arise should the ESC be obliged to alter the exam proceedings.

By registering for the exam, each candidate waives his/her rights to claim any compensation from the ESC. The organizer cannot be held liable for any hindrance or disruption of exam proceedings arising from political, social or economic events, or any other unforeseen incidents beyond their control.

Under no circumstances will the ESC be liable for indirect damages or costs.

Registration of a candidate entails acceptance of these conditions.

Requirements for EHRA Certificated Cardiac Device Specialists for Allied Professionals (ECDSAP)

The exam

Certification for AP only requires passing the exam - no logbook is needed.

The examination is designed in two consecutive parts of three hours each. 

The questionnaire is compiled by the EHRA Certification Committee for AP. It consists of 130 multiple-choice questions, with 60%–80% based on analysis of practical clinical cases and decision-making, with the remainder dedicated to theory.

The statistical performance of each multiple-choice question (MCQ) is analysed and the 10 least discriminating MCQs are not taken into account. The candidate's final score is therefore derived from only 120 MCQs. The pass mark is predetermined using a validated standard-setting process. 

Exam results are sent (to your email address registered on your My ESC account) within two months after the exam has been taken.

Upon passing the exam, candidates will receive an ECDSAP Certificate valid for 10 years. 

Candidates cannot resit the exam in the same calendar year. A candidate who fails the Dutch exam in November 2020 cannot resit in the online AP exam in 2020. 

As skills can only be maintained by continuing education and practical involvement, certification is granted for 10 years. After that period, exams must be retaken to renew certification.

Appealing the exam

Candidates may seek appeal:

• On the exam day, in case of issues with the scientific content of the exam –

Candidates who have comments or concerns about an examination question should contact the ESC via the ESC Contact Us form. The relevant certification committee will review all comments, concerns and suggestions made by candidates.  These comments or concerns must be logged on the examination day with the invigilator for on-site exams or with the proctor for online exams and at the latest before candidates received their examination results.

• After having received your results –

If you believe that an incorrect result has been awarded to you, you may lodge an appeal by sending to the ESC Exam Administration an official letter, within 8 days of receiving your results, via the ESC Contact Us form. The result of such an appeal may be a higher grade, a lower grade, or no grade change. In no circumstance, you will be entitled to fee refund nor damages.

Appeal process:

The ESC exam administration and relevant certification committee will reply to the appealing candidate within four weeks.

Reply from ESC exam administration and relevant certification committee is final. You agree to this during the exam registration process by accepting the ESC exam delivery Terms and Conditions. Appeals are free of charge.

How to prepare for the examination

Topic

• Topic distribution of the examination questions
• Suggested reading list

Sample questions

• Download the AP sample MCQs
• For any information on the EHRA certification examinations, please contact us

EHRA Certified Cardiac Device Specialists for Allied Professionals (ECDSAP)

Below is the list of professionals certified by EHRA in Cardiac Pacing and ICDs for Allied Professionals.
Discover who they are and where they come from.

EHRA is pleased to list all their cardiac device specialists for Allied Professionals (ECDSAP) certified candidates - Last Update 20 October 2022

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

EHRA AP Certification FAQ