EBOD SETS NEW RECORD

A record-breaking 619 candidates from 26 European countries took part in this year’s European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma (EBOD) examination. “Once again I get to stand here at the podium and congratulate all the candidates for coming to Paris in such large numbers to take part in this increasingly popular examination,” said Peter J Ringens MD, PhD, FEBO, president of the European Board of Ophthalmology. Prof Ringens paid special thanks to the French Society of Ophthalmology (SFO), which hosts the exam every year in conjunction with its annual meeting, emphasising that the exam would not be possible without the support of the SFO. The EBOD examination is designed to assess the knowledge and clinical skills requisite to the delivery of a high standard of ophthalmic care both in hospitals and in independent clinical practices, and to harmonise and compare ophthalmology training programmes throughout the EU. “The increasing number of candidates also demands another organisation of the exam for the future. We are thinking about tablet-based written examination, and in 2017 there will be one official language (English) for the viva voce exam, because we are now dealing with over 300 examiners, plus German and French for the MCQ exam,” added Prof Ringens. Catherine Creuzot-Garcher, president of the SFO and a past president of EBO, said the French society remains deeply committed to the EBO exams and is honoured to play its part in preparing candidates for their future careers in ophthalmology. “There will always be a place for the EBO examination here in Paris at the annual SFO meeting. There is a long history of collaboration between these two organisations and this partnership will continue to benefit European ophthalmology in the future,” she said. For the second year the EBO has organised, in close collaboration with the EGS (European Glaucoma Society), the glaucoma subspecialty exam and awarded the FEBOS-Glaucoma Diploma to three successful candidates. “This is not just one more exam for the sake of it. Rather this exam is designed to really reflect the realities of modern practice and recognise expertise and excellence in a given field. By setting standards of knowledge, the EBO subspecialty exams will help to improve the quality of training in various subspecialties across Europe. In the very near future other European societies (ESCRS, paediatrics, neurophthalmology etc.) will organise their subspecialty exams in collaboration with the EBO,” said Gordana Sunaric Mégevand MD, president-elect of EBO and a member of the EGS executive board. Peter J Ringens: p.ringens@mumc.nl Catherine Creuzot-Garcher: catherine.creuzot-garcher@chu-dijon.fr Gordana Sunaric Mégevand: g.su.meg@gmail.com

Tags: training