Chair and Deputy of the Question Selection Group
Appointment
- Appointed by the EECC board chair in consultation with the chair of ESC Education Committee
- Appointment as chair-elect is made when the post becomes vacant
- Appointment as QSG chair is normally for two years and may be renewable once
- The chair assumes the role of past-chair when they are replaced by the chair-elect
Requirements
- Active member of the EEGC question writing group
- Active membership of the EECC question selection group for a minimum of two years
- Detailed understanding of the question selection process
- Good understanding of all aspects of the EECC
- Good leadership, verbal, and written communication skills
- Dedicated time to attend EECC in-person and on-line meetings and to respond in a timely fashion to contacts from other members of the EECC team and external enquiries
Responsibilities
- Responsible for the overall performance of the QSG
- Attends EECC board meetings
- Attends EECC leadership team meetings
- Contributes to the strategic vision of the EECC as a member of the leadership team
- Chairs one online QSG meeting per year
- Maintains an appropriate number of active QSG members by reviewing participation, selecting new members from the QWG and retiring inactive members, in consultation with the EECC chair and leadership team
- Develops and updates the strategy for the QSG, including its standard operating procedures and EECC blueprint
- Develops the agendas for QSG meetings in consultation with the EECC chair and leadership team
- Ensures that QSG members are aware of their responsibilities
- Works with the ESC team to ensure that QSG members review and select the required number of MCQs in the appropriate format by the date requested
- If the chair is temporarily unable to perform their duties, the past-chair or chair-elect will normally deputise
Members
Appointment
- Appointed by the QSG chair in consultation with the EECC board chair
- Appointment as a member of the QSG is normally for two years and may be renewed
Requirements
- Highly experienced members of the Question Writing Group
- Full understanding of the Question Selection process
Responsibilities
- To pre-select the requested number of high-quality best-of-five multiple choice questions covering the requested topics in accordance with the EEGC Blueprint
- To review and select the requested number of questions using the on-line tools before QSG Meetings
- To attend the Group meeting once each year
- To assess all questions pre-selected by the Group and agree the final selection and reserve questions
- Members who do not attend two consecutive meetings will normally be asked to retire from the QSG
Meetings
- The Group will meet routinely once each year in February
- By agreement with the EEGC Chair and Question Selection Group Chair, representatives of National Cardiology Societies may attend the Question Selection Meeting to observe
Question Selection Guide
- To be developed.
EEGC Blueprint
Topics
The questions selected for the exam are categorised into 4 sections based on the 62 knowledge items in ESC Core Curriculum for the Cardiologist (2020). Many questions include aspects of more than one topic, but as far as possible, questions are classified according to the main point of knowledge to be tested. Approximately 25% of questions (30) will be from each section. Questions will cover the range of topics in each section and reflect their importance in clinical practice, but not every topic will have a question every year.
Section 1 - Imaging and valvular heart disease
2.1 Assess a patient using one or multiple imaging modalities
2.2 Assess a patient using echocardiography
2.3 Assess a patient using cardiac magnetic resonance
2.4 Assess a patient using cardiac computed tomography
2.5 Assess a patient using nuclear techniques
4.1 Manage a patient with aortic regurgitation
4.2 Manage a patient with aortic stenosis
4.3 Manage a patient with mitral regurgitation
4.4 Manage a patient with mitral stenosis
4.5 Manage a patient with tricuspid regurgitation
4.6 Manage a patient with tricuspid stenosis
4.7 Manage a patient with pulmonary regurgitation
4.8 Manage a patient with pulmonary stenosis
4.9 Manage a patient with multivalvular disease
4.10 Manage a patient with a prosthetic valve
4.11 Manage a patient with endocarditis
Section 2 - Rhythm disorders
5.1 Manage a patient with palpitations
5.2 Manage a patient with transient loss of consciousness
5.3 Manage a patient with atrial fibrillation
5.4 Manage a patient with atrial flutter
5.5 Manage a patient with supraventricular tachycardia
5.6 Manage a patient with ventricular arrhythmia
5.7 Manage a patient with bradycardia
5.8 Manage a patient with a cardiac ion channel dysfunction
5.9 Manage a patient with a pacemaker
5.10 Manage a patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator
5.11 Manage a patient with a cardiac resynchronization therapy device
Section 3 - Coronary artery disease, acute cardiovascular care, rehabilitation and sports cardiology
3.1 Manage a patient with symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease
3.2 Manage a patient with acute coronary syndrome
3.3 Manage a patient with chronic coronary syndrome
3.4 Assess a patient using coronary angiography
7.1 Manage a patient with haemodynamic instability
7.2 Manage a patient post-cardiac arrest
7.3 Manage a critically ill cardiac patient
7.4 Manage a patient after a percutaneous cardiovascular procedure
7.5 Manage a patient after cardiac surgery
7.6 Manage end-of-life care in a critically ill cardiac patient
8.1 Manage cardiovascular aspects in an athlete (Sports Cardiology)
8.2 Manage a patient with arterial hypertension
8.3 Manage a patient with dyslipidaemia
8.4 Manage cardiovascular aspects in a diabetic patient
8.5 Manage an individual in primary prevention
8.6 Manage a cardiac patient in secondary prevention
8.7 Prescribe a prevention and rehabilitation programme for a cardiovascular patient
Section 4 - Heart failure and cardiac patients in other settings
6.1 Manage a patient with symptoms and signs of heart failure
6.2 Manage a patient with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
6.3 Manage a patient with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
6.4 Manage a patient with acute heart failure
6.5 Manage a patient with cardiomyopathy
6.6 Manage a patient with pericardial disease
6.7 Manage a patient with right heart dysfunction
6.8 Manage a patient with a cardiac tumour
6.9 Manage cardiac dysfunction in oncology patients
9.1 Manage a patient with aortic disease
9.2 Manage a patient with trauma to the aorta or the heart
9.3 Manage a patient with peripheral artery disease
9.4 Manage a patient with thromboembolic venous disease
9.5 Manage a patient with pulmonary thromboembolism
9.6 Manage a patient with pulmonary hypertension
9.7 Manage a patient with adult congenital heart disease
9.8 Manage a pregnant patient with cardiac symptoms or disease
9.9 Perform a cardiological consultation
Reuse of Questions
- Questions used in the previous year’s EECC will not be selected
- Approximately 50% of questions will not previously have been used in an exam
- Approximately 50% will be questions which have previously performed well in the EECC
Use of Images in Questions
- Approximately 30% of questions will include one still image or video clip
- The remaining questions will include text only