1. Organisation of the examination
1.1. Definition
The examination described in the 23/04/2014 Ministerial Decree determining the general criteria for the recognition of physician specialists and in the “Arrêté du Gouvernement de la Communauté française du 29 novembre 2017” and in the “Besluit van de Vlaamse regering betreffende de erkenning van artsen-specialisten en van huisartsen van 24 februari 2017” is organized as follows.
At the end of the academic year the BeSTRO organizes on behalf of the Flemish and French speaking recognition committees the official examination for the residents in their 4th year of training. Residents who want an exception to the rule on the 4th year of training should submit a request (one A4 page motivating the request) to the respective committee of recognition. The requests will be reviewed on a yearly basis. As a general rule at least 18 months of clinical training in a radiation oncology department is a prerequisite to be allowed to the official examination.
The official board examination consists of 100 English multiple choices questions (MCQ) and an oral examination by six different juries.
At the end of the academic year the BeSTRO organizes on behalf of the Flemish and French speaking recognition committees the official examination for the residents in their 4th year of training. Residents who want an exception to the rule on the 4th year of training should submit a request (one A4 page motivating the request) to the respective committee of recognition. The requests will be reviewed on a yearly basis. As a general rule at least 18 months of clinical training in a radiation oncology department is a prerequisite to be allowed to the official examination.
The official board examination consists of 100 English multiple choices questions (MCQ) and an oral examination by six different juries.
1.2. Examination date and location
The official examination is organised annually in mid-June. The date, time and location are communicated to the students approximately six months beforehand.
Students have to be present at the exam at the latest on the hour it is expected to start. Students who arrive late for a written exam, may still be allowed to take the exam but the end time of the exam will not be adjusted in that case.
Students have to be present at the exam at the latest on the hour it is expected to start. Students who arrive late for a written exam, may still be allowed to take the exam but the end time of the exam will not be adjusted in that case.
1.3. Written and oral examination
The examination consists of a written and an oral part. After the written part the students are invited for the oral exam. To pass, the scores on the written and the oral examination should both be at least 50 %. As the language of the teaching courses is English, the multiple choice questions (MCQ’s) are also in English. In principle the oral part of the examination is taken in English. However, if the student prefers to do the oral exam in French or Dutch, he/she should inform the secretary of the society a month in advance. The oral part will consist of four juries out of six who will question the student on different clinical cases. Each jury of the oral examination is composed of 3 examiners.
1.4. Second examination in the same academic year
There is no re-examination within the same academic year. However, in exceptional circumstances beyond one’s control the respective committee of recognition might judge a second examination should be organised for a student that did not succeed (part of) the official examination in the last year of the training.
2. Taking part in the examinations
2.1. Conditions to take part in the examinations
At the exam, students must be able to prove their identity with their identity card (ID card). Before the start of the written examination, the presence of the students is registered. The ID cards of the participating students remain with the supervisor of the written exam. At the end when handing in the examinations, the ID card is returned to the student. Students can, upon request, receive an official proof of participation in the exam.
2.2. Not taking part in the examination
Students who are registered for the examination, but who cannot participate in it, need to report this as soon as possible to their supervisor and/or the secretary of the society.
Students can justify their absence with a medical certificate, on the condition that the certificate from a medical doctor is not written any later than the day of the absence, and on the condition that the student hands it in at the secretariat of BeSTRO as soon as possible, and preferably within three days. The certificate specifies that the student was not able to participate in the exam.
The following medical certificates will not be accepted:
Students can justify their absence with a medical certificate, on the condition that the certificate from a medical doctor is not written any later than the day of the absence, and on the condition that the student hands it in at the secretariat of BeSTRO as soon as possible, and preferably within three days. The certificate specifies that the student was not able to participate in the exam.
The following medical certificates will not be accepted:
- a certificate that is incomplete or a certificate that contains irregularities;
- a dixit certificate (certificate based on the patient’s own statement);
- a post factum certificate (certificate that is written after the illness or after the medical consequences of an accident can be examined).
3. Course of the examinations
3.1. Examiner
In the case of blood or family ties up to and including the fourth degree between a student and an examiner, the latter should request the chair of the examination committee to appoint a replacement at least a month before the examination will take place. The examiner cannot at the end of the (partial) examination announce the result to the student.
3.2. Information prior to the examinations
The students are invited to register for the examination through the BeSTRO website (www.bestro.be) by e-mail. The examination regulations are published on the website.
3.3. Examination format and duration
3.3.1. Written examination
The written part consists of 100 English MCQ’s covering the different tumor sites and including MCQ’s on radiobiology and medical physics.
Each individual student receives a booklet with the 100 MCQ’s on which he/she has to note the – according to him/her – right answer. Each MCQ has five answer options. Students receive a point (+1) when they provide the correct answer. When the student responds incorrectly, the student loses -1/4 (with 5 answer options). If the student does not know the answer, the student can leave the question empty and loses/earns no points (0).
Each individual student receives a booklet with the 100 MCQ’s on which he/she has to note the – according to him/her – right answer. Each MCQ has five answer options. Students receive a point (+1) when they provide the correct answer. When the student responds incorrectly, the student loses -1/4 (with 5 answer options). If the student does not know the answer, the student can leave the question empty and loses/earns no points (0).
3.3.2. Oral examination
The students will be examined by four juries out of six for the oral examinations. There is no preparation time for the oral examination. All students receive the same clinical cases. The cases are presented by the juries in a structured way:
- clinical symptoms/clinical examination
- imaging
- general management
- radiotherapy
- follow-up
For each case a list with items that are expected to be answered/mentioned to pass, is made. Any extra knowledge of the student leads to a higher score.
3.4. Non-participation in an exam
If students do not participate in an exam, the exam is evaluated as ‘not taken’ (NT). If the student does not participate in one of these evaluations, the general principle is that the students receive NT for the entire examination.
4. Deliberation
4.1. Criteria for passing the examination
Students pass the written examination if a score of at least 50 % including guess correction is obtained.
Students pass the oral examination if a score of at least 50 % is obtained after adding up the results of the individual juries. If the total score of the oral part is 50% or more, but the score for an individual jury is below 10/20 the student fails this jury only. Students only have to redo the part for which they failed. This can be either the written exam, the oral exam or an individual jury depending on their scores for the individual parts.
Students pass the oral examination if a score of at least 50 % is obtained after adding up the results of the individual juries. If the total score of the oral part is 50% or more, but the score for an individual jury is below 10/20 the student fails this jury only. Students only have to redo the part for which they failed. This can be either the written exam, the oral exam or an individual jury depending on their scores for the individual parts.
4.2. Arrangements
The BeSTRO has taken the following measurements to avoid fraud during the (preparation) of the examinations:
- the students have to hand in their ID card before they receive their exam booklet (and response form);
- smart phones are not allowed during the written examination;
- the students get their ID card back after having handed in their exam booklet and all other sheets of paper used during the exam.
5. Announcement and discussion of examination results
5.1. Announcement of the decisions of the examination committee
The final score of the examination is communicated to the student by individual e-mail with the stagemeester/maître de stage in copy in the week following the examination. It is up to the stagemeester/maître de stage to decide if he/she informs the local stagemeester/maître de stage.
The scores of the oral examinations are discussed by the different juries at the end of the oral examination. An overall score for the oral exam is given but not yet communicated to the students.
The scores of the oral examinations are discussed by the different juries at the end of the oral examination. An overall score for the oral exam is given but not yet communicated to the students.
5.2. Discussion of the results and right to feedback
Students have the opportunity to receive feedback during the first seven calendar days after the announcement of the examination results. The written exam and the scores on the oral exam can be reviewed by the student in the presence of one of the examiners. In case the student wants a feedback conversation on a specific oral part, an appointment with at least one of the members of the jury can be made.
