Basic, Intermediate 12-Lead, Emergency, and Advanced ECG Board Certification Exams are Available
Download the ECG Board Exam Application
THE ECG PROFICIENCY BOARD CERTIFICATION EXAM DIRECTORS:Our original ECG Exam Director was Dr. Henry J. L. Marriott who was known on a worldwide basis to those who read ECGs. Upon his passing in August, 2007, Jonni Cooper naturally stepped into the Director's role.
Dr. Marriott issued the first ECG Proficiency Exam for physicians who read on hospital ECG panels in 1969. This experience led him to further develop the ECG Proficiency Exam for hospital panel readers to be more in keeping with the ECG section of the Cardiology Board Examination. It was his continued philosophy and that of our exam committee that physicians should demonstrate a higher standard of interpretation than that of their support staff and present day computer interpretation capabilities.
Dr. Marriott was joined by Jonni Cooper, PhD in 1989 to begin development develop on three additional levels of ECG Board Certification Exams to meet the needs of all healthcare providers recording, reading, and responding to patient's ECGs. We have five levels available to meet these needs.
Dr. Marriott and Jonni worked with an authoritative committee made up of physicians, nurses, and EMS personnel in the development of these exams. To date they have tested thousands of candidates nationwide.
Henry J. L. Marriott, MD, FACP, FACC & Jonni Cooper, PhD
THE ECG EXAMS WERE DESIGNED FOR YOU BY A NATIONAL BOARD OF CONSULTANTS IN ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY AND COORDINATED BY HENRY MARRIOTT, MD, FACC, AND JONNI COOPER, PHD, WHO IDENTIFIED THE NEED.
THE NEED
Prior to 1992, there was no standard to measure proficiency in reading electrocardiograms. That's when the Marriott Heart Foundation stepped in and developed the national testing service on three levels: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. In addition, a special Emergency Exam (for Emergency Department personnel) and an Advanced Hospital Exam (for panel readers) were developed.
Since that time, hundreds of physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals have demonstrated their proficiency in taking these exams. Many have already earned a frameable Certificate, good for a three-year period. These exams have were placed in the hands of the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine (ABCM) to officiate, and the Foundation remains free to conduct review courses for all levels of exam preparation.
In this day of high litigation, employment shifting, and Joint Commission accountability, these Exams are a perfect way to assess ECG reading skills. Since the electrocardiogram is the single most used test in cardiology, the least expensive and the most often misinterpreted, there has never been a greater need for standardization of this important diagnostic tool. Prove to yourself and your colleagues that you have achieved proficiency in reading by taking of of the ABCM's ECG Proficiency Exams.
Candidates are free to choose the level of exam that best fits their experience and knowledge. The ABCM does recommend the following as a guide, knowing that each individual is different in their level of competency.
BASIC Level Ia: ECG techs, RNs and those with little reading skills. The exam consists of a series of diagnostic criteria questions, and numerous carefully selected single and dual lead tracings for this medical surgical telemetry level.
BASIC Level Ib: ECG techs, RNs, and those with moderate reading skills. The exam consists of a series of diagnostic criteria questions and numerous carefully selected single, dual, and multiple lead tracings for this more progressive telemetry level.
INTERMEDIATE: MDs, RNs, and those with a good grasp of 12-lead patterns and rhythm disorders. This exam consists of a series of carefully selected 12-lead ECGs and rhythm strips with a list of 138 possible diagnoses.
EMERGENCY: Emergency Department Physicians, Nurses, and First Responders. This Exam consists of 15 carefully selected tracings depicting emergency situations with a list of 118 possible diagnoses.
ADVANCED HOSPITAL: Exclusively designed for ECG panel readers, this Exam is arranged through the hospital on a contractual basis. It is also great for Cardiology Fellows preparing to sit for the Board Exams. The Advanced Hospital exam is the only ABCM Exam is given on your premises by an ABCM proctor. It consists of 25 ECGs (rhythm strips and 12-lead tracings) selected for the experienced reader.
THE EXAMS:
The ABCM offers these Exams at each of their workshops and seminars; and also at selected sites throughout the country during the year.
Upon registering for an Exam a practice test on the level you have selected will be mailed to you--if you request it. This is a valuable part of the learning process incorporated into the ABCM's ECG Proficiency Board Certification Exams. the Practice Exam will help you become familiar with the format of the actual test and show where your strengths and weaknesses are for future study. Also a list of topics included in each Exam is mailed to you, along with a list of reading material and resources.
After the two-hour Exam, the ABCM will process your score and send results to you within three weeks, along with a list of those diagnoses you correctly identified and those you missed. This valuable service is the second feature that sets our Exams apart from any others--we continue the education process by providing you with valuable personalized feedback.
EXAM LOCATIONS:
The ECG Proficiency Board Certification Exams are now available in your home city or town if you agree to follow the strict copyright and exam rules. Travel has become cost prohibitive for many of us, and time off is difficult with minimal staffing. We are making every effort to make this vital educational experience available to you by bringing it home. If attending an ECG Workshop is more of what you need, we will work with you to bring one to your hospital or let you know of others available in your region; these ECG Workshops will be available in many cities throughout the United States.
If you are interested in hosting an ECG Workshop, see the list of locations we are planning them in and if we have your city on our map, call us and you could be the host for your city. We work with hospitals who wish to host an exam site for their staff and surrounding hospital staffs, to bring the exam to your doorstep. If you would like to host one of these exam sites, contact us for a sample contract at (813)234-1033 or email: jcooper17@tampabay.rr.com and we will contact you.
CERTIFICATES:
The ABCM issues Certificates for those achieving a 75% or higher score on the Exams. Also, if a score of 65-75% is achieved, the next lower level certificate is issued for the Advanced, Emergency, and 12-Lead levels. These certificates are good for a three-year renewable period, and are designed for framing.
CHECK YOUR COMPETENCY BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE DOES!
To give some idea of the level of sophistication required for each exam, we have chosen a single category, AV block, and selected samples that are reasonably representative of each exam. Try your hand at whatever level you feel comfortable and then consult the diagnosis that is printed upside down under the tracing. This should give you at least a rough idea of the level at which you should first aim.
Remember, we are not only testing and providing Certifications-when earned; but we are also making a much needed effort to raise the Standard of ECG Interpretation. The ECG has the reputation for being the least expensive, most often ordered, and most frequently misinterpreted test in cardiology. Failure to interpret the ECG quickly and accurately has led to many unfavorable outcomes. Check your level of awareness and give us a call--we can probably help even if it is only to guide you in your future studies of the electrocardiogram.
1. BASIC ECG LEVEL IA QUIZ
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2.
BASIC ECG LEVEL IB QUIZ
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3. INTERMEDIATE
ECG QUIZ
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4. EMERGENCY ECG QUIZ
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5. ADVANCED ECG QUIZ
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Answers to the ECG Quizlets Above.
1. Answer: Type I (AV nodal) second degree AV block (in the form of 6:5 AV Wenckebach periods); this is a fundamental mechanism that all should be able to recognize without difficulty.
2.
Answer: Type I (AV nodal) second degree AV block (in the form of 3:2 Wenckebach periods); this is a fundamental mechanism that all should be able to recognize without difficulty.3. Answer: Type I (AV nodal) second degree AV block with 2:1 and 3:2 AV conduction. At this level the candidate should know that 2:1 conduction usually has prolonged PR intervals, but may--as here--have normal PR intervals. Evidence that the block is AV nodal is the 3:2 Wenckebach periods towards the end of the strip, and the second clue is the presence of a normal narrow QRS suggesting the level of the block is at the AV node.
4. Answer: Type II (infranodal)
second degree AV block with 1:1 and 2:1 conduction. Emergency
personnel should have no difficulty
recognizing genuine type II AV block: the normal PR + BB are
typical and, of course, the clincher is the unchanging PR interval when
consecutive impulses are conducted before the first dropped beat.
SETTING STANDARDS:
Dr. Marriott set standards in electrocardiography for over 40 years through his ECG Proficiency Exam Services and his teachings. To further raise the standard of ECG interpretation Dr. Marriott and Jonni Cooper targeted the instructors who have had no guidance, by producing the first written standards for teaching electrocardiography. In 1994, they published the first edition of the ECG Instructor's Manuals (now in their 5th Edition) which has become a standard manual for teaching the subject. In this manual they provide teaching objectives, outlines, and guidance as to who should be included in basic, intermediate 12-lead, emergency, and advanced teachings, and what their own qualifications should be to teach the subject. It is fair to say that Dr. Marriott was a true pioneer in the field of electrocardiography and had a great hand in developing and setting standards in ECG interpretation.
Dr. Marriott's colleague of 28 years, Jonni Cooper, has become the ECG Exam Director in Dr. Marriott's absence. Jonni worked and taught with Dr. Marriott on an international scale for 28 years before his passing. They developed many ECG teaching tools together during this time, all of which afforded her the opportunity of learning from the Master of Electrocardiography. The Marriott Heart Foundation was formed in his honor as our original Founder and Director. Through her association with Dr. Marriott, she has had the unique opportunity to help you set reasonable expectations for your staff and guide you in your efforts at teaching ECG interpretation. Let us help you raise the standard of care in your institution. Visit www.marriottheart.org and then go to the Bookstore to obtain your copy. Should you wish the Marriott Heart Foundation to bring a course to your facility, go to conferences at this web site and see the three courses developed for your in-house training needs. This course can be brought to your doorstep along with the ECG Proficiency Board Certification Exams.