The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery-Core Curriculum for the Cardiac/Cardiovascular Surgeon

Cardiac surgery remains a high-stakes, technically complex specialty requiring rigorous, structured training. Across Europe, significant variation exists in training pathways, assessment standards, and certification, creating disparities in preparedness among newly qualified cardiac surgeons. To address this, the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) developed a unified Core Curriculum for the Cardiac/Cardiovascular Surgeon.

This curriculum was developed over 12 months by a taskforce comprising experienced surgeons/trainers, educational experts, and trainee surgeons. Data were gathered through 2 National Trainee Summits (2023 and 2024), with representation from 26 national programmes. Structured feedback from these events and additional stakeholder consultations shaped the framework, which incorporates entrustable professional activities (EPAs), Canadian Medical Education Directives for Specialists (CanMEDS) competencies, and European Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery (EBCTS) syllabus.

The curriculum defines clinical and non-clinical competencies across 3 training stages-introductory, intermediate, and advanced-aligned with EPA benchmarks. It outlines requirements for trainees, trainers, training institutions including operative volume, educational content, and assessment methodology. Institutions are encouraged to adopt competency-based progression, minimum case numbers, regular multi-source feedback, and final certification via standardized examinations such as the EBCTS. Emphasis is also placed on supporting struggling trainees, quality assurance mechanisms, and future workforce planning.

The EACTS Core Curriculum offers a harmonized, flexible, and competency-based framework for cardiac surgical training. Voluntary adoption of this curriculum across Europe is expected to enhance training quality, ensure patient safety, and facilitate surgeon mobility across borders. It aims to cultivate independent, reflective, and proficient cardiac surgeons equipped for evolving clinical demands.