Certifying (Oral) Exam Matrix

 
# Case Scenarios Component Category
 6 General Thoracic Total*

Cases will come from the following areas:
2 Malignant Lung Disease
1 Malignant Esophageal Disease
1
0-1
0-1
0-1
0-1		 Benign Esophageal Disease
Benign Lung Disease
Pleural Disease
Mediastinal Disease (benign and malignant)
Chest Wall Disease (benign and malignant)
   
6 Cardiac Total*
  Cases will come from the following areas:
2
2
1
0-1		 Ischemic Heart Disease
Valvular Heart Disease including transcatheter therapies
Aortic Disease (root, ascending and/or arch)
Mechanical Circulatory Support
0-1 Congenital Anomalies in Adults to include:
Coronary/great vessels anomalies (e.g. vascular ring, coarctation)
Intracardiac shunts
Venous anomalies
0-1 Rhythm Disorders to include:
Atrial fibrillation, Ventricular tachycardia, Heart block
   
12 Total Exam

 

*Each General Thoracic or Cardiac protocol may include questions examining:

Patient selection, approach to diagnosis and/or staging

Preoperative preparation and/or optimization

Operative technique and intra-operative decision making

Postoperative care and complication management

All scenarios will be grounded in published Clinical Practice Guidelines and Expert Consensus Statements from respected sources including AATS, STS, AHA, ACC, ACCP and NCCN when available

 

12 total scenarios:  6 in each of cardiac and thoracic
  All scenarios weighted equally 

Must pass at least 2 of 3 Examiners in both Cardiac AND Thoracic