Introduction

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Purpose

The primary aim of The European Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EBCTS) is to encourage high standards and excellence in cardiothoracic surgery common to all European countries and beyond.  This prepares the way for the mutual recognition of these qualifications between European countries and elsewhere. It is a way of surgeons demonstrating their knowledge and judgement to their peers, patients and hospitals through an objective, high quality assessment of their ability.

The Fellowship represents a higher level of assessment than the Membership examination and is conducted as a face to face examination rather than a remote MCQ format.

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Standards

The standards are set to award certificates from the Board to surgeons who have attained the required standards and levels of knowledge, clinical judgement and proficiency that can be recognised as appropriate for their independent specialist practice in cardiothoracic surgery and sub-specialist areas such as critical care. 

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Question Writing Panel

The Board has an experienced panel of examiners appointed for their experience and expertise in education, training and research for the Fellowship examination. Examiners after selection and appointment undergo regular training in assessment science and contribute questions regularly for peer review and refinement. Examiners are subjected to quality assurance reviews during each examination to maintain the highest standards.

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The FEBCTS Examination - What to expect

The Level 2 Fellowship consists of an oral examination conducted in person with our EBCTS examiners.

 

The Fellowship examination will assess all of the Level 1 outcomes across the entire syllabus in addition to the Level 2 syllabus outcomes in their chosen sub-specialty area (adult cardiac surgery and/or congenital cardiac surgery or critical care). This examination will comprise of multiple structured vivas/oral examinations with pairs of examiners over a period of 90 minutes.

 

You can choose to take an examination in cardiac surgery or congenital surgery either alone or in combination.

 

You will be tested on your knowledge, interpretation of investigations, management and judgement by pairs of examiners working together at a table.

 

Tables will ask you questions based on clinical scenarios themed to coincide with major areas of practice and which are covered in the EBCTS syllabus depending on the examination you wish to take.

 

For example a cardiac candidate may attend separate tables asking questions about ischaemic cardiac disease, structural heart disease and another covering aortic disease.

 

Themes and the number of tables may change between diets of the examinations.

 

Questions are designed to facilitate a conversation between the candidate and the examiner as professional surgeons on important topics in practice.

 

Results will normally be available within a week of the conclusion of the assessment.

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Examination Fee

• The fee for the Level 2 examinations will be €750 for each speciality of which €300 is for assessment of the file.

• The file will not be processed until payment is received in full.

• If the candidate is found not to meet the eligibility criteria, €450 will be refunded.

• Should a candidate be unable to sit the examination on the appointed date, he will be offered one alternative date and the fee will be held.

• If the candidate does not take the examination and does not inform the EBCTS Secretariat one month in advance, no fee will be refunded.

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Schedule

The Board will organise the Fellowship examinations in the 2 sub-specialties at least once a year. The closing date is advertised on the website. No late applications can be accepted.