On February 23, 2025, the 15th Korean Echocardiography Certification Examination was held at the Mayfield Hotel in Seoul, the same venue as last year. The written test took place in the Mayfield Ballroom in the morning, followed by the practical test in the afternoon which was conducted in seven examination rooms set up in the Orchid Banquet Hall. Although the weather was clear, it was slightly chilly that day. A total of 146 candidates took both the written and practical exams.

The written exam was divided into two sessions and administered as a Computer-Based Test (CBT) using tablets. This format allowed examinees to replay echocardiographic video clips and offered features like zooming in on images and adjusting brightness, which likely provided considerable assistance to the candidates.

For the practical exam, based on prior applications from examinees, five ultrasound machines from GE and two from Philips were prepared. The exam was supervised by 14 professors, including Professor Choi Ji-yong, the current president of the Korean Society of Echocardiography.

To prepare for the written exam, several professors contributed by submitting questions in advance, which were then entered into a question bank. Starting from the afternoon of February 21, two days before the exam, the Education Committee, led by Professor Kim Dae-hee from Ulsan University College of Medicine, selected the questions. In the past, printed materials were used and repeatedly reviewed. The current system utilizes a dedicated software program, making the process significantly more efficient. Questions were created and selected in groups based on the question bank, then reviewed collectively via a screen, allowing immediate corrections such as fixing typos or adjusting answer choices. This approach greatly improved workflow efficiency.

For this exam, the pass rate for the written test was 96.2%, and for the practical test, 73.9%, indicating a similar or slightly more challenging level compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, it appears that examinees were well-prepared. It is expected that this certification exam will continue to contribute to improving the quality of care involving cardiac ultrasound. The 15th Echocardiography Certification Examination has continued to improve steadily thanks to the support and efforts of many individuals. As a member of the Korean Society of Echocardiography, it was a meaningful experience to witness the preparation and execution of the exam firsthand.