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ECAR Residency Examation Information

Overview of the ECAR Examination Process

The ECAR examination is the final step for candidates (Residents) to become certified as Diplomates in animal reproduction. It is a rigorous, structured process involving eligibility assessment, application, examination, and evaluation.

1. Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to sit the ECAR exam, candidates must:

  • Have successfully completed an ECAR-approved standard or alternative residency programme.

  • Have submitted:

    • A case diary and activity diary (in ECAR-specified format).

    • Two peer-reviewed publications (as first author or co-author; in journals with impact factor ≥0.7).

    • Two conference presentations at international meetings (e.g., EVSSAR, ESDAR, ECAR).

    • A Supervisor’s report confirming progress and readiness.

  • Meet submission deadlines:

    • Application: by May 15 of the examination year.

    • Exam questions and fees: by August 31.

2. Application and Approval

  • Applications are submitted to the Education and Residency Committee (ERC).

  • The ERC reviews the application and documentation.

  • If criteria are met, the ERC provides final approval for the candidate to take the exam.

3. Examination Format

The exam is conducted in English and includes two parts:

A. General Part

  • 100 multiple choice questions (each with one correct answer)

  • 25 essay questions

    • 10 Long essay style questions

    • 15 Slide (Case) based questions

  • Covers broad topics in:

    • Physiology, pathology, and endocrinology of reproduction.

    • Diagnosis and treatment of reproductive disorders.

    • Reproductive surgery, imaging, biotechnology.

    • Legal and ethical aspects of breeding and biotechnology.

  • Species covered: small animals, ruminants, porcine, equines and biotechnology (all which have equal question weighting).

B. Subspeciality Part

  • Held the day after the general part.

  • Focuses on the candidate’s declared subspeciality:

    • (a) Small animal reproduction

    • (b) Equine reproduction

    • (c) Ruminant reproduction and herd health

    • (d) Porcine reproduction and herd health

    • (e) Reproductive biotechnology

  • Based on:

    • Case scenarios, diagnostics, treatment planning.

    • Lab material analysis (e.g. biopsies, semen, embryos).

  • MCQs, Case based and Written answers required.

4. Scoring and Passing Criteria

  • A minimum of 55% is required in each part

  • An overall score of 70% is required to pass

  • The difficulty of each question is pre-assessed by the Examination Committee to adjust expectations accordingly

5. Re-examination Policy

  • Candidates who fail any part of the exam must re-apply to retake all sections.

  • Full exam fees must be paid again.

  • Candidates have up to 4 total attempts within 8 years of first being eligible.

  • Failing to pass within:

    • 5 years of first attempt, or

    • 8 years of approval
      => Requires re-evaluation by the Board, and possibly additional training.

6. Feedback and Appeals

  • The Examination Committee provides written feedback to failed candidates and their Supervisors.

  • Candidates can appeal adverse decisions (e.g., exam denial, failure) through ECAR’s formal Appeals Procedure.