News:

• Use our UPDATED sample letters to document your training or level of service. A Sample Case Log for TEE Examinations Studied but NOT performed during Cardiovascular Anesthesiology Fellowship is also now available.

ASC/ReASCE: For those that passed the examination prior to 2008 conversion applications, change in certification status, and recertification applications must be received by June 30, 2008. For those that passed the examination in 2008, certification documentation must be received by October 31, 2008.

PTE/RePTE: For those that passed the examination prior to 2008 certification applications must be received by June 30, 2008. For those that passed the examination in 2008, certification documentation must be received by August 1, 2008.

• Note: Change in Certification Policy for those interested in taking the ASCeXAM: This change in Certification Policy affects all fellows who will complete their training on or after June 30, 2009 (i.e. those who began their training on or after July 1, 2006). Specifically this policy states that fellows completing their fellowship after this date can only qualify for certification by completing level II training in echocardiography (6 months of formal training in echocardiography) during their fellowship including the satisfactory performance of at least 150 transthoracic echocardiograms and the interpretation of at least 300 transthoracic studies. Additional certification in stress echocardiography requires the performance and interpretation of at least 100 stress echocardiograms while additional certification in transesophageal echocardiography requires the performance of at least 50 transesophageal echocardiograms. Individuals who fail to satisfy these requirements during their fellowship can only qualify for certification by obtaining additional training in an approved fellowship program. For this group, practice experience will no longer be accepted as an alternative to formal training.

• Note: For those interested in taking the PTEeXAM: The practice experience pathway will not be available to those finishing their core residency training after June 30, 2009.

Welcome

The National Board of Echocardiography, Inc. (NBE) is a not-for-profit corporation established to:

• Develop and administer examinations in the field of Clinical Echocardiography,
• Recognize those physicians who successfully complete either
  • the Examination of Special Competence in Adult Echocardiography (ASCeXAM),
  • the Recertification Examination of Special Competence in Adult Echocardiography (ReASCE),
  • the Examination of Special Competence in Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (PTEeXAM), or
  • the Recertification Examination of Special Competence in Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (RePTE) and
• Develop a certification process that will publicly recognize those physicians who have completed an approved training program in echocardiography as specified in this application and have additionally passed an examination of special competence in echocardiography administered by the NBE.

The Examination of Special Competence in Adult Echocardiography (ASCeXAM) determines special competence in the subspecialty field of diagnostic cardiac ultrasound.

The Examination of Special Competence in Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (PTEeXAM) determines special competence in perioperative transesophageal echocardiography according to standards met by examination.

The Recertification Examination of Special Competence in Adult Echocardiography (ReASCE) demonstrates continued competence in the subspecialty field of diagnostic cardiac ultrasound.

The Recertification Examination of Special Competence in Perioperative Transesophageal Echocardiography (RePTE) demonstrates continued competence in perioperative transesophageal echocardiography.

The examination of special competence and certification in echocardiography is not intended to restrict the practice of echocardiography. The process is undertaken, rather, in the belief that the public desires an indication from the profession regarding those who have made the effort to optimize their skill in the performance and interpretation of cardiac ultrasound.

We hope you will find this site useful in making decisions about, and going through the process of, taking these exams. To get started, you may want to read Certification Explained, and our Frequently Asked Questions. Please do not hesitate to contact us from our contact page or at info@echoboards.org.