Report on the European Association of Echocardiography accreditations in echocardiography: December 2003-September 2006.

AIMS The European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) launched its Accreditation scheme in echocardiography in December 2003. Currently there are accreditations in Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography and Transesophageal Echocardiography and an Accreditation in Echocardiography for Congenital Disease will be launched in December 2006. METHODS AND RESULTS Over the past 3years 350 applicants have undertaken the written exams and 157 applicants have completed the process and achieved accreditation. This report summarises the accreditation process, the details of the numbers of applicants and their progress through the Accreditation scheme. This report also provides data about the performance of the written exam, its reliability and the effectiveness of the questions and data about the reproducibility of the log book marking system. CONCLUSION Taken together this report provides evidence that the EAE Accreditation schemes have been effective in establishing a standard for echocardiographic practice and an accreditation that is effectively organised, reliable, robust and successful.