CANDIDATE INFORMATION

• Certification Candidate Bulletin for the Physician and Allied Professional (PDF)

Thank you for your interest in becoming a certified cardiac rhythm management professional! The International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE) represents a standard of excellence for cardiac arrhythmia professionals, and its certification exams are recognized globally as the highest benchmark of professional competency in cardiac pacing, defibrillation and electrophysiology. In a continued effort to add value to the organization and ensure the highest possible standard as a certification program, IBHRE has made significant updates to the certification process.

To keep you, the exam candidate, informed of the latest program updates, IBHRE has assembled the Certification Candidate Bulletin for the Physician and Allied Professional. This bulletin contains all of the information you need to know as you prepare to apply and sit for an IBHRE certification exam. The bulletin includes important details such as how to document eligibility for the exam, what to expect after submitting your application and where to go to schedule an exam appointment. The bulletin also covers important information about what it means to become certified, how to maintain your certification, and what you can do if you do not pass the exam.

The bulletin is also intended to inform you of your rights and responsibilities throughout the certification process as well as the responsibilities of IBHRE in delivering the best possible certification exam to its candidates. The bulletin covers important IBHRE policies that all candidates should be aware of as they continue their path toward certification. All IBHRE certification exam candidates are strongly encouraged to review this bulletin prior to submitting their exam application and feel free to contact us at IBHRE@HRSonline.org with their questions.

To download a PDF copy of the Certification Candidate Bulletin for the Physician and Allied Professional, click here.

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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

IBHRE does not require specific education or training to take the Cardiac Rhythm Device Therapy Examination for the Allied Professional or the Cardiac Electrophysiology Examination for the Allied Professional. To qualify for an exam, Allied Professionals must demonstrate that they are currently working in the cardiac rhythm management field as a non-physician. Applicants for the Cardiac Rhythm Device Therapy Examination for the Physician must be a fellow-in-training or a licensed physician.

Upon submitting an application for the exam, all candidates must provide appropriate documentation as evidence of the candidate’s eligibility:

Physicians

Applicants for the Cardiac Rhythm Device Therapy Examination for the Physician must be a licensed physician or a physician fellow-in-training. Physicians applying for the certification must also:

1. Have completed a fellowship in Cardiology (adult or pediatric) or Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
   
   OR
    

2. Have documented a minimum of one year involvement in the care of cardiac rhythm device therapy patients

Required Documentation:

Physicians must include a copy of their current medical license from the state, province or country where they currently practice with their application. Additionally, physicians must document their respective medical school and residency programs and the dates of completion on their applications. Documentation of the completion of necessary fellowship training program(s) or direct involvement in managing device therapy patients for a minimum of one year will be required with the application.

Allied Professionals

Applicants for the Cardiac Rhythm Device Therapy Examination for the Allied Professional or the Cardiac Electrophysiology Examination for the Allied Professional or the Cardiac Electrophysiology Examination for the Allied Professional must demonstrate that they are involved in the practice of heart rhythm management and that they have:

1. Successfully completed a formal comprehensive training program in cardiac pacing or electrophysiology that facilitates a minimum of 6 months didactic training and exposure to the field. Accepted programs include, without being limited to, Arrhthmia Technologies Institute and PrepMD. Additionally, applicants for the Electrophysiology Examination must have a minimum of 6 months of involvement in a field of Electrophysiology with direct exposure to patient cases in the clinical or industry setting or exposure to technical cases in the industry setting.
   
   OR
    

2. Successfully completetd the Resgistered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist (RCES) or Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) examinations and a minimum of 12 months of clinical experience in cardiac pacing or electrophysiology with direct exposure to patient cases.
   
   OR
    

3. Have a minimum of two years of experience in the field of cardiac pacing or electrophysiology with direct exposure to patient cases in the clinical or industry setting or exposure to technical cases in the industry setting.

Required Documentation:

Allied Professionals must include at least one letter of recommendation from a supervisor, employer or colleague with their exam application. Letters of recommendation must verify that that candidate is currently working in the field of cardiac rhythm management, the duration of involvement in the field, or has worked in the field within the past two years. References are considered valid as of the day they are written and do not need to reflect or confirm a candidate’s current or future employment situation..

Exam Eligibility Reference Letter Guidelines (PDF)
Sample Allied Professional Recommendation Letter (PDF)

IBHRE reserves the right to independently verify the licenses, credentials and employment status of all examination candidates. The candidate’s signature on his or her Examination Application duly authorizes IBHRE to conduct such independent verification.

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TO APPLY

To apply for an IBHRE Exam, you can apply online or request a PDF application. The hard copy application should be completed in full and submitted with payment and eligibility documentation by mail or fax to:

IBHRE
Attention: Exam Coordinator
1400 K St NW Ste 500
Washington DC 20005
Fax: 202-464-3401

Candidates, who wish to obtain special testing accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, must submit the Special Testing Accommodations/ Disability Request Form and supporting documentation with the application.

(Eligibility documentation will not be returned to candidates upon review of the application. Please do not send original copies.)

Exam applicants should review the 2011 Certification Candidate Bulletin for the Physician and Allied Professional before submitting their applications. Click here to download a PDF version of the bulletin.

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DEADLINES

The deadline for application submission will vary depending on the exam date.

For information on exam dates please see the IBHRE Exam Calendar.

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REGISTRATION AND CONFIRMATION

All applications must be completed before submission.

Online and paper registration forms will not be processed without completed information and full payment to the International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners (IBHRE).

All formal exam correspondence and instructions from IBHRE will be forwarded by email AFTER the application deadline date.

All communications from IBHRE, with the exception of exam scores, will come in the form of email. Please be sure to provide a current email address. If your contact information changes between the time you apply and the examination date, please contact us at (202) 464-3400 to update your record.

Any questions about registration should be directed to the IBHRE Exam Coordinator at (202) 464-3400 or IBHRE@hrsonline.org.

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FEES

2010-2011 Exam Fees:

EP Fellows who apply for the exam within one year of completing their training qualify for a $200 discount on the exam.

Late applications may be accepted after the published deadline on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to a $100 fee.

Member fees apply only to Heart Rhythm Society membership. See below for more information.

Exam fees are subject to change.

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MEMBERSHIP

To receive the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) member rate, you must be an active member with no outstanding dues at the time of registration. All non-members must register at the non-member rate. Anyone applying for membership with the Heart Rhythm Society must have their completed application packet (application, CV and dues) approved by the Heart Rhythm Society prior to registering for an exam. IBHRE will not reimburse the difference between the member and non-member exam rates to registrants whose completed applications are approved after they register. Visit the membership section of the HRS website for more information about joining the Society! For questions about membership, contact Membership@HRSonline.org.

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PAYMENT POLICY

IBHRE accepts the following payments: American Express, VISA, and Mastercard. Checks must be drawn by a United States bank, and currency must be paid in United State dollars. The registrant must pay all fees or charges connected with registration at the time of registration. Credit cards processed through the online application will be charged immediately. Checks must be made payable to the International Board of Heart Rhythm Examiners or IBHRE. Registration forms will not be processed without full payment to IBHRE. Purchase orders are not accepted. Wire/bank transfers are not accepted.

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CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY

Cancellation requests must be submitted in writing by the exam candidate to prior to the exam date. A $75.00 processing fee will be withheld for all cancellation requests, in addition to the cancellation fees listed below. Telephone requests will not be honored.

Cancellations will be processed if a written request is received by IBHRE:

• 6 weeks prior to the exam date – fees will be refunded less $300.00
• 4 weeks prior to the exam date – fees will be refunded less $500.00
• 2 weeks prior to the exam date and “No Shows” on exam date – NO refund

Refunds will only be issued upon cancellation of exam registration. Requests from third parties to cancel or transfer a candidate’s registration will not be honored. Third parties who submit payment on behalf of an exam candidate should be aware that they do so voluntarily, at their own risk, and will not be recognized as party to the agreement made between the exam candidate and IBHRE through submission of an application. All refunds will be issued directly to the party initially responsible for remitting payment. All exam registrations are non-transferable.

Applicants who do not meet eligibility requirements for the exam will be refunded the full amount less a $75 processing fee.

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QUESTIONS

Contact the IBHRE Exam Coordinator, IBHRE@hrsonline.org.

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