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The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery-Core Curriculum for the Cardiac/Cardiovascular Surgeon.
Nabil Hussein1, Maroua Eid2, Jules Olsthoorn3
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, WC1N 3BH, United Kingdom.
Summary
The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) developed a unified Core Curriculum to standardize cardiac surgical training across Europe. This competency-based framework aims to improve training quality and patient safety by addressing variations in current educational pathways.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Training
- Cardiovascular Surgery
Background:
- Cardiac surgery training exhibits significant variability across European nations.
- Disparities in training pathways, assessment, and certification impact surgeon preparedness.
- The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) initiated a unified Core Curriculum to standardize training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a harmonized and competency-based framework for cardiac surgical training in Europe.
- To address the existing inconsistencies in surgical education and certification.
- To enhance the preparedness and mobility of newly qualified cardiac surgeons.
Main Methods:
- A 12-month development process involved a taskforce of surgeons, educators, and trainees.
- Feedback was gathered from National Trainee Summits (2023, 2024) representing 26 national programs.
- The framework integrates entrustable professional activities (EPAs), CanMEDS competencies, and European Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EBCTS) syllabus.
Main Results:
- The curriculum details clinical and non-clinical competencies across introductory, intermediate, and advanced training stages.
- Requirements for trainees, trainers, and institutions include operative volume, educational content, and assessment.
- Recommendations include competency-based progression, minimum case numbers, multi-source feedback, and standardized examinations.
Conclusions:
- The EACTS Core Curriculum provides a flexible, competency-based model for European cardiac surgical training.
- Voluntary adoption is anticipated to elevate training standards and patient safety.
- The curriculum seeks to produce proficient, independent surgeons capable of meeting future clinical challenges.
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