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EDRA – take the exam, it’s worth it!
“I am proud to be an EDRA diplomate. I sat the EDRA part 1 in Ljubljana in 2015. This exam required a good deal of study involving physiology, pharmacology, physics, anatomy as well clinical experience. The MCQ is fast and tough; the candidate needs to know the syllabus well and be well versed in MCQ practice. Prior to the part one I took part in a CPD accredited regional anaesthesia course at home in Ireland. While I attended the conference in Ljubljana I attended an ESRA cadaver course in the nearby university. The ESRA Congress cadaver courses are the most cost effective cadaver courses I know of and the faculty are truly world class. Part 2 of the EDRA is very different from the MCQ. While all aspects of the syllabus can be asked; your real world knowledge, emergency management and technical skills are important. To be eligible for part 2 you must have completed a large number of central and peripheral blocks and have completed a cadaver course. I sat this exam in 2016 in Maastricht. A few weeks later I received the welcome news that I was successful. Studying for the EDRA greatly increased my knowledge of all aspects of regional anaesthesia and since completing the EDRA I am definitely a vastly more confident and competent regional anaesthetist fully capable of independent practice.”
Mark Johson, Ireland
My Journey to the EDRA Exam, Part 1
Who?
My name is Maarten van Dijck. I am a fourth year resident in anaesthesiology in the Radboudumc in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. I am proud to call myself the Dutch ESRA resident. You might have already seen me on one of the annual ESRA congresses in or around the trainee corner. I.e. the corner of the congress where all sorts of activities, like live ultrasound scanning sessions, escape games, scenario training and more, are provided by my dear colleague resident representatives and me.
Why RA?
Regional anaesthesia (RA) has always been a topic of interest for me and it still excites me. I got ‘infected’ with the RA-fever somewhere in 2021 by the enthusiasm of two dear colleagues. Dr. G.J. van Geffen and dr. L. Tielens, both anaesthesiologists in my hospital, showed me their extraordinary skill, experience and joy in RA. And that is where mý journey in RA started.
Why the exam?
Not too many years ago neurostimulation and or anatomical based approaches were standard approaches in RA in my hospital. Nowadays, the use of ultrasound is the way to go. In many hospitals nerves are now being ‘magically’ revealed by the use of ultrasound instead of ‘blindly’ searched for.
Who would not get excited…! All well and good, but since I am now the representative of my country, I needed to put my excitement and knowledge to the test. Therefore, I decided to participate in the European Diploma in Regional Anaesthesia (EDRA) exam part 1 at the latest ESRA congress in Oslo, and with success!
The exam
The exam consists of 2 parts. Part 1 is an onsite exam, at the annual ESRA congress in September, or an online exam in the spring of every year. Topic allocation is well defined beforehand. Topics consider e.g. anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, basic statistics, application and performance of RA. Recommended reading is done on the website and concerns not only textbooks but also for example ESRA, ASRA and PROSPECT guidelines. Last, but not least, the exam certificate is officially recognized in Europe, and acknowledged worldwide.
Summary
In summary: register yourself for the exam! Commit yourself to intellectual development as resident or anaesthesiologist. It is never too late to challenge yourself with a refreshing exam. Take a (deeper) plunge into the world of RA. Broaden your knowledge with the newest guidelines, studies and blocks. And lastly, who would not want to receive their EDRA certificate?! To be continued by part 2 of the exam…
Yours sincerely,
Maarten van Dijck
Anaesthesiology Resident & Dutch ESRA representative
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