Cardiac Pacing and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Together with the EHRA logbook of interventional procedures/operations performed under the supervision of senior colleagues, it provides the basis for EHRA certification in cardiac devices.

In order to encourage a high standard of knowledge and clinical expertise and to enable physicians to provide their patients with the best and most advanced standard of treatment, we envisage a successful EHRA certification process to serve as a sign of excellence for the physician.

To achieve and maintain the level of quality of the process we continuously focus our efforts on improving the number, content, layout, and statistical power of the questions.

We strongly recommend physicians who intend to enter the EHRA certification process to acquire a sufficient amount of knowledge and clinical experience before attending the EHRA exam.

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

EHRA CP exam

The next EHRA CP exam will take place during the 2018 EHRA Europace.

Registration is not open yet.

Please read the Registration Conditions and note that there is no on-site registration.

Fees

Registration is not open yet.

First time fee:  500 EUR

Re-site fee:  300 EUR
(Please note: these fees apply to members and non-members)

Please note that there is no on-site registration.

Cancellation policy

In the event that you wish to cancel your registration to the Certification exam, written confirmation to ESCcertification@escardio.org is required. The EHRA cancellation policy is as detailed below:

• Up to 6 weeks before the exam: 100% refund
• From 6 to 4 weeks: 50% refund
• Within 4 weeks: no refund
• No show: no refund

In the case of unforeseen circumstances (such as a death in the family, on-call at the hospital, an accident involving the candidate...), a proof document will be required and you will be refunded the entire registration fee.

If EHRA is to cancel the exam, the full registration fee will be refunded. However, EHRA is not liable for any cost incurred by the cancellation of accommodation and travel arrangements.

Requirements

Those interested in taking a certification exam will be asked, during the registration process, to provide:

• Copy of their medical diploma (MD) issued by a National Health Authority (sent as pdf document labelled to their name - ie: MD_Name-Surname)

To achieve certification as an EHRA certified cardiac device specialist (ECDS) candidate must complete the two levels: 

1. Level 1: Pass the exam (in English) consisting of multiple choice questions, held during one of EHRA's annual meetings - EHRA EUROPACE or Cardiostim. 
2. Level 2: Pass the exam and document practical experience: Once the exam is passed a logbook must be submitted 3 years* after sitting the exam.

*The requirements will change for candidates sitting the exam from 2014. Please see below.

1 - The exam

The examination is designed to be completed in two consecutive parts three hours each, with a 60-minute lunch break.
Participants are required to sign in at least 30 minutes before the start of the exam for check-in and to present:

• Their information letter (sent during registration process)
• Identity card/Passport to confirm their identity

After the exam participants will have to hand in all their exam material and sign out.

The questionnaire is compiled by the EHRA Certification Committee and consists of 130 multiple-choice questions.

Questions are based on the analysis of practical clinical cases and decision making (60-80%), with the remaining dedicated to theoretical questions.
Ten questions out of the 130 are back up questions and are used only for internal processes.

There is no appeal procedure after the examination. Candidates who have failed the exam cannot re-sit the exam before a period of time of nine months.

Exam results are sent by email two months after the exam is sat.
Upon successful completion of the exam, candidates will receive an ECDS Level 1 Certificate valid for ten years. 

As skills can only be maintained by continued education and practical involvement, certification is granted for a period of ten years. Afterwards, they can renew their certification by re-sitting the exam.

2 - The logbook

Once candidates have passed the theoretical exam (achieving Level 1), they can then apply for Level 2 by proving their practical experience in the field.

Documents to submit

For completion of the certification process after having successfully passed the written exam (ECDS Level 1):

• Letter of Endorsement from the National Society
• Letter of support from a Supervisor
• List of Procedures - The logbook
  • CP 25 ICDs implantations procedures
  • CP 30 CRTs implantations procedures
  • CP 45 implantations procedures
  • CP 50 CRTs follow-up procedures
  • CP 50 devices follow-up procedures
  • CP 100 ICDs follow-up procedures

Candidates must submit their logbook through the e-logbook platform. Access to the e-logbook is granted to the candidate upon passing the exam only.

As a security, candidates must keep a copy of their logbook.

Content of the logbook

Candidates have to perform:

• 100 device implantations as a first operator including at least 20 ICDs and 10 CRTs
• 200 device follow-ups as a first operator including 40 ICDs and 20 CRTs

Experience should be gathered over three consecutive years - from three years before up to three years after sitting the exam. 

This means that candidates can start compiling their logbook before sitting the written exam if they wish. Moreover, they are allowed to submit it until the 31 December of three years after the written exam (if the written exam is the 6 June 2013, the logbook can be submitted until 31 December 2016).

The logbook must be sent as an e-logbook. Access to the e-logbook platform is granted to the candidate only after having successfully passed the written exam. 

A grader from the EHRA certification committee will grade the logbook. The review process should take around two months. The final results are sent by email. 

Upon successful completion of the logbook process, candidates will receive an ECDS Level 2 Certificate valid for 10 years.

For Candidates sitting exams from 2014 

The following items have to be performed within a period of 24 consecutive months - these 24 months can be taken anytime from two years before up to two years after the year of the exam:

• 100 device implantations as a first operator including at least 25 ICDs and 30 CRTs.
• 200 device follow-ups as a first operator including at least 100 high energy devices (ICDs/CRT-D) and 50 CRT (CRT-D/P)

How to prepare for the examination

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

Topic distribution of the examination questions

Suggested reading list 

Core Curriculum

Download a copy of the Core Curriculum

EHRA certified cardiac device specialists (ECDS)

The EHRA certification is valid for ten years.

Find below the list of professionals who are certified by EHRA in cardiac pacing and ICDs.  Discover who they are and where they come from.  

List of EHRA certified cardiac device specialists (ECDS) (.xls)

Frequently asked questions

Download the EHRA CP Certification FAQs.