TSDA Congenital In-Training Exam

The 2024 TSDA Congenital In-Training Exam (ITE) for congenital cardiac surgery fellows has concluded. Program Directors can view results in Oasis (please consult instructions that were emailed).

The goals of the exam are to help congenital cardiac fellowship program directors gauge the knowledge base of their fellows, and to determine whether fellows possess the knowledge and cognitive skills for safe and effective performance in the profession.

The 2024 TSDA Congenital ITE will be held on Saturday, March 9. Registration will open in early 2024.

Registration for the 2024 TSDA Congenital In-Training Exam (ITE) for congenital cardiac surgery fellows is now open. The ITE will be given on Saturday, March 9. Please read the General Information Sheet for registration, payment and exam day information.

The goals of the exam are to help congenital cardiac fellowship program directors gauge the knowledge base of their fellows, and to determine whether fellows possess the knowledge and cognitive skills for safe and effective performance in the profession.

Registration
The following are eligible to register for the 2021 TSDA Congenital ITE:

  • ACGME-approved congenital cardiac surgery fellows at ACGME-accredited programs
  • Non ACGME-approved congenital cardiac surgery fellows at ACGME-accredited programs
  • International congenital cardiac surgery fellows at ACGME-accredited programs*
  • Congenital cardiac surgery fellows at non ACGME-accredited programs*
  • International congenital  cardiac surgery fellows at non ACGME-accredited programs*
  • CT surgery residents who accepted a congenital cardiac surgery fellowship position at an ACGME-accredited congenital cardiac surgery program

*Non ACGME-accredited programs are required to notify TSDA at tsda@tsda.org or 312-202-5854 prior to registering fellows for the exam.

There is a $350 registration fee for each registered congenital cardiac surgery fellow at non ACGME-accredited programs. In addition, there is a $350 registration fee for each registered international congenital cardiac surgery fellow at ACGME accredited programs and non-ACGME accredited programs.

There is no registration fee for other registration categories.

Access to the 2024 TSDA Congenital ITE will be available in Oasis for 24 hours on 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 Congenital ITE will be administered and registration will be processed via the LMS site, Oasis. TSDA Headquarters will not collect examinee registration materials for the Congenital ITE (with the exception of a proctor Letter of Agreement); all examinee registration will be handled by program coordinators and/or directors within the Oasis site. Programs will pay for registration in Oasis, and only credit cards will be accepted.

Exam Format
The 2024 TSDA Congenital ITE will consist of 145 questions. The TSDA Congenital 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
A Letter of Agreement confirming who will proctor the exam must be completed and returned to TSDA Headquarters prior to the exam date.

The TSDA Congenital 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. Exam proctors must be present for the duration of the exam on exam day

Additional information about proctor responsibilities can be found on the General Information Sheet.

If the program director is unable to proctor the exam, they must assign a member of the congenital cardiac surgery fellowship program department (faculty or staff member) to administer and proctor the exam in lieu of the program director.

2021 Congenital ITE Materials
General Information Sheet
Letter of Agreement

Questions?
TSDA Headquarters,  tsda@tsda.org or 312-202-5854
Gracie Martin, TSDA Coordinator, gmartin@sts.org, 312-202-6121
Adam Doty, Executive Director, adoty@sts.org, 312-202-5802