EUROPEAN DIPLOMA IN INTENSIVE CARE MEDICINE (EDIC)

EDIC Objectives

To promote quality standards in education and in ICM in Europe. The awarding of a speciality exam in intensive care medicine is a key component of the strategy. Many jurisdictions specify EDIC as a professional qualification in ICM and the increasing numbers sitting the exam also attests to its widening acceptance. Responsibility for the European Diploma in Intensive Care Medicine (EDIC) belongs with the Education and Training Committee and its EDIC subcommittee, under the leadership of Marco Maggiorini (Zurich, Switzerland).

The EDIC examinations are set out in two parts: Part I Written exam, and then the Part II Oral/Clinical exam. The EDIC examination guidelines will provide you with information on the exam as well as the requirements needed to sit the exam.

EDIC Part I (Written examination)

EDIC part I examination is a multiple choice written examination in English. There are 100 multiple choice questions (MCQs) and each question trunk will have either four or five stems.

Questions are drawn from the entire spectrum of intensive care medicine, including basic medical sciences, pathophysiology of relevant diseases, interpretation of diagnostic data, therapeutics/toxicology, ethics and all aspects of clinical ICM practice.

ESICM offer registered candidates (who have paid their exam fee) access to a series of sample MCQ questions from previous EDIC Part I exams. Candidates will receive an individual time-limited password and be able to answer questions online, with instant feedback on their performance. In addition to the training experience, this exercise provides a clear example of the level of difficulty of, and the differing types of questions (A and K) candidates should expect in the actual exam. 

All answer sheets are handled by Institute of Medical Education (IML: www.iml.unibe.ch) in Bern, Switzerland, who partner with ESICM in the production and evaluation of the exams and MCQs.

EDIC Part I Exam Marking System

For a correct answer to a type A question, 1 point is given, for a wrong or a blank answer 0 point. For a type K question, 1 point is given for 4 correct answers, 0.5 point for 3 out of 4 correct answers and 0 point for less then 3 correct answers. The pass mark is fixed each year based on a calculation using the mean value and SD. (mean value of the cohort, - 0.6 SD).

Subscription Periods

There are two editions per year for EDIC Part I: Spring Edition (February / March) and Autumn Edition (September / October) 

Registration opens in November / December for the Spring Edition and in June / July for the Autumn Edition.

2012 EDIC Part I (Written) Sessions - Spring Edition

The 2012 EDIC Part I Spring Sessions are scheduled on March 15, 2012. As exam sites will serve several locations across Europe, all sessions will take place simultaneously. Registrations opened on November 1, 2011 and closed on January 15, 2012.

 
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED ON A "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED" BASIS.

2012 EDIC Part I (Written) Sessions - Autumn Edition

The 2012 EDIC Part I Autumn Sessions are scheduled on October 15, 2012 in two sites: Lisbon, Portugal (ESICM Annual Congress) and Bern, Switzerland. These exams will run simultaneously.

Registrations will open on April 1, 2012 and close on July 31, 2012.

Required Documentation

• Copy of University-awarded Medical Degree
• Letter of Confirmation from National or Regional primary specialty Training Authority (e.g. College or Society)
• Documents/letter confirming your training in ICM or completion of ICM training programme
  Contact details for:
  • If you are in ICM training: Training Authority, supervisor or Head of training
  • If you have completed your ICM training: Head of Department or Head of Training Programme or other representative who can attest to your having completed ICM training
  • If you are a specialist: Copy of University-awarded Medical Degree and current certificate of full medical registration

A self assessment of MCQ's is available upon request for candidates who have paid their registration fees. Please contact the ESICM office to receive information on how to access the MCQs.

Important Information

1. People who have failed the written exam must wait at least one year prior to being able to resit the written exam again.

2. Your seat at the written EDIC exam is only guaranteed after you have paid your invoice.

EDIC Part II (Oral/Clinical Examination)

The standard expected for EDIC Part II is that of a senior trainee nearing completion of specialist training in ICM, and capable of safe, independent practice. Candidates should be able to communicate effectively and be capable of consulting and drawing appropriately on the fullness of multi-disciplinary patient support. Some subspecialty knowledge is expected, including for example, some general aspects of paediatric, cardiac and transplant critical care.

Only those candidates who have successfully passed EDIC Part I may take the Part II clinical/oral examination. It is anticipated that it will usually be taken within 24 months of passing Part I, and no later than 4 years after passing Part I unless otherwise approved by the Examinations Subcommittee.

Locations

In European countries, a group of suitable, major hospital general Intensive Care Units are identified in conjunction with relevant Council members and the ESICM EDIC Examinations subcommittee. The Part II exam is held at least once annually in each European country if there are enough eligible candidates who have applied. Sessions are held either in May / June or October / November each year. During the registration period the ESICM Education Secretariat will announce locations and number of places available per country via this website.

Application

For 2012: Registrations will open on November 1, 2011 and close on January 15, 2012 for the exam period May / June 2012, and reopen on May 1, 2012 and close on June 30, 2012 for the exam period October / November 2012.

 PLEASE NOTE THAT THE REGISTRATIONS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED ON A "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED" BASIS.

Required documentation

• Documents/letter confirming your training in ICM or completion of ICM training programme (to complement what you submitted for EDIC Part I)
• Copy of primary specialty certification, if completed
  Contact details for:
  • If you are in ICM training: Training Authority, supervisor or Head of training
  • If you have completed your ICM training: Head of Department or Head of Training Programme or other representative who can attest to your having completed ICM training

How to Apply 

Do you know your EDIC reference number?

1. Then go straight to the ORAL application form. 
2. The EDIC committee will assign you to a centre in that country and will inform you of the date and place of the exam at least two months prior to the exam.

Have you forgotten, or have not been provided with an EDIC reference number?

1. All applicants who do not have a reference number for the application form (obtained when you filled in the online written exam application form), or who have not yet used the online application system, please select the option "Don't know your EDIC reference?" on the first page of the ORAL application form.
2. We will send you a reference number within a few days by email to enable you to continue your application procedure.
3. ESICM will contact you as soon as a centre in your designated country becomes available.

Examination Fees 2011

ESICM Members

Important: Candidates who have not paid their ESICM membership fee when they submit their application for the EDIC exam (oral or written) will automatically be billed the non member's price. Should you wish to benefit from the member's price, please pay your member fees first. We will not reimburse the difference at any stage of your application process. Results will be blocked for any candidates who have not paid their fees on time or in full.

Refunds

Exam fees, minus 10% administrative costs, will be refunded when notice of withdrawal is received 28 days before the published closing date for Part I, and 28 days before the Part II exam date. Refunds will not be given thereafter. Fees will not be transferred to the other examination.

Invoices

ESICM will send invoices to the candidates after approval of their applications for the written/or oral examinations. 21% Belgian VAT  is included in the above mentioned fees.

How To Prepare Yourself For Your Examination

We advise you to draw fully on the following:

• Training opportunities at local and national levels. Contact your local authorities
• The ESICM Annual Congress: Educational interactive sessions & pre-congress courses (including the ICM Refresher Course)
• The ESICM Summer Conferences, Basic Assessment and Support in Intensive Care (BASIC) courses and Advanced Training Courses in Intensive Care (ATCIC)
• The PACT programme
• CoBaTrICE
• "Multiple Choice Questions in Intensive Care Medicine" by S Benington, P Nightingdale & M Shelly (tfm Publishing Ltd/Gutenberg Press)
• A preparation course is organised in UK. If you wish to apply, please click on this link

The EDIC Guidelines can also provide you with some additional information on recommended approaches to training. 

Exam Organisation and Guidelines For Examiners

• Organisation guidelines for examiners
• Feedback to fill in for examiners (word format)

Translation & Validity of the EDIC Certificate

ESICM delivers a Diploma in Intensive Care for those who have passed the EDIC Part I and II and performed the required amount of training, thus fulfilling the set criteria for receiving the Diploma. This Diploma is in English only. Its recognition at the national level is based upon national authorities (ex document).

Contact Us

For all queries about EDIC, please e-mail the EDIC Secretariat.