2024 TSDA In-Training Exam

Registration for the 2024 TSDA In-Training Exam (ITE) for cardiothoracic surgery residents is now closed. The ITE will be given on Saturday, March 2 with a backup exam date of Saturday, March 9. Backup date arrangements must be pre-approved by TSDA Headquarters. Please read the General Information and Instructions pdf for registration, payment and exam day information. (Click here for information about the Congenital Cardiac Surgery Fellow In-Training Exam.)

The TSDA ITE is designed to assess the knowledge of current residents in cardiothoracic surgery. Subject matter will be equally divided between general thoracic and cardiac surgery. The secure exam will be available online, and individual comprehensive results will be available to Program Directors at the conclusion of the exam.

Access to the TSDA ITE will be available in Oasis for 24 hours on either March 2 or March 9, beginning at 12:00 a.m. U.S. Central Time through 11:59 p.m. U.S. Central Time. Test-takers will have five hours to complete the exam once it is launched; it is at the Program Director or Proctor’s discretion whether or not to enforce a time limit within that five-hour window.

The 2024 TSDA ITE will be administered and registration will be processed via the LMS site, Oasis. TSDA Headquarters will not collect examinee registration materials for the TSDA ITE (with the exception of a proctor Letter of Agreement); all examinee registration will be entered by program directors or coordinators within the Oasis site.

Please consult registration, pre-exam readiness, and exam day procedure messages that were sent to Program Directors and Program Coordinators.

Exam FormatThe TSDA ITE will consist of 160 questions equally divided between general thoracic and cardiac surgery. The TSDA ITE is offered only as a computer-based exam at the program site and is to be completed within a five-hour period once the test is launched (at the Program Director’s discretion). Examination questions are provided in random order for each examinee.

Proctor Responsibilities: 

Programs are required to submit a completed Letter of Agreement confirming who will proctor the exam. The TSDA ITE must be administered and taken at the program training site, and must be actively proctored; access from a remote site will disqualify the examinee.

Proctors are responsible for:

  • administering, proctoring, and maintaining a secure environment for the duration of the examination,
  • reading aloud the Proctor Announcement at the start of the exam period (below),
  • being present for the duration of the exam,
  • collecting and holding test taker electronic devices, including but not limited to smart phones and tablets,
  • ensuring test-takers do not access the Internet during the exam period, and
  • ensuring test takers log out of Oasis and returning electronic devices to test takers at the conclusion of the exam.

Proctor Announcement:
To be read in the exam room prior to launching the TSDA ITE

TSDA In-Training Exam test takers are prohibited from having on their person or consulting electronic devices for the duration of the exam. This includes but is not limited to smart phones, tablets and the Internet. Any test taker identified as having consulted or referenced, or even having any electronic device, will be prohibited from completing the exam, removed from the exam room, and the issue will be addressed by the exam proctor, the test taker’s program director, and TSDA ITE Committee.

If the Program Director is unable to proctor the exam, they must assign a member of the CT surgery residency program department (faculty or staff member) to administer and proctor the exam in lieu of the Program Director.

Questions?

TSDA Headquarters, tsda@tsda.org, 312-202-5854
Adam Doty, adoty@sts.org, 312-202-5802
Gracie Martin, gmartin@sts.org, 312-202-6121

2024 ITE Materials
General Information and Instructions
Letter of Agreement