ICO International Basic Science Assessment for Ophthalmologists

Basic Science Assessment

On this page:

• 2008 Assessments on April 10
  
  
• Purpose of the Basic Assessment
  
  
• Language
  
  
• Conduct of the Assessment
  
  
• Co-ordinators
  
  
• Syllabus and text
  
  
• Results
  
  
• Fees and applications
  
  
• Application and more information

2008 Assessments on April 10

Each year the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) offers assessment examinations throughout the world to help ophthalmologists evaluate their knowledge in the basic science and clinical sciences related to ophthalmology.

In 2008, the International Basic Science Assessment for Ophthalmologists and International Clinical Sciences Assessment will be offered on April 10. The deadline for applications to be received is January 31, 2008.

Those interested in taking the Assessments in 2008 should contact the Assessments Office. For more information, see below and the section of the ICO Eye Site on the Clinical Assessment.

Purpose of the Basic Assessment

The ICO considers that all ophthalmologists in the world, wherever they wish to practice, are required to have the same knowledge of basic science in order to understand the principles underlying their clinical practice.

The Basic Science Assessment is designed so that individual candidates or departments may assess themselves or their residents in training against a recognised international standard.

The test is intended to complement but not to replace existing examinations in basic science. However, certain countries and examining bodies have accepted this test as equivalent to the basic science part of their examinations.

Language

The Basic Science Assessment is conducted in English but if there is sufficent demand, the questions can be translated into French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish or Russian.

The Clinical Sciences Assessment is only conducted in English.

Conduct of the Assessment

The Basic Science Assessment is presented in a booklet and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. The final 20 questions relate to Optics and Refraction.

The complete Assessment takes three hours. The questions consist of five stems, each stem being true or false. Thus the Assessment effectively consists of 500 questions.

For candidates who fail the Optics and Refraction section of the paper, it is possible to re-take just these two subjects. For those taking only the Optics and Refraction section, the Assessment takes one hour.

The candidates will enter their answers on response sheets which will be computer marked. The computerised results will be analysed by the examiners.

Candidates and Co-ordinators will be informed of the results of the individual sections into which the test is divided.

Co-ordinators

Co-ordinators are appointed for each centre where the assessment is offered. Candidates will be informed of the name of their Co-ordinator by the Examination Office, unless they have already completed this section on the application form.

Candidates must inform the relevant test centre Co-ordinator when their application has been accepted.

Syllabus and text

The syllabus is sent to the candidate when their application has been received and it is not intended to be comprehensive, so questions may be asked which are not mentioned in the syllabus.

Subjects covered are:

1. Anatomy of the Eye and the Orbit
   
   
2. Neuro Anatomy related to ophthalmology
   
   
3. General Principles of Physiology related to the practice of ophthalmology including Embryology
   
   
4. Ocular Physiology
   
   
5. Pharmacology, Pathology including the Micro-biology related to ophthalmology
   
   
6. Optics
   
   
7. Refraction

Some candidates have no teaching or practice in Optics and Refraction. The Assessment is therefore scored in two parts: Basic Sciences related to Ophthalmology and Optics and Refraction.

Results

Results of the ICO Basic Science Assessment and Clinical Sciences Assessment will be mailed to candidates in June.

The Chairman of the Assessments Committee will send each candidate a letter and analysis sheet. Results are confidential and will not be issued by e-mail, fax or telephone.

As this is an International Assessment it takes time for all the papers to be returned for scoring. For this reason the results are not produced immediately.

For candidates who enroll direct to the Examination Office, detailed results are sent by air mail to their home addresses, as given on the application forms.

For candidates who are part of a group booking from a Co-ordinator the result envelopes are sent by courier in a package direct to the Co-ordinator for distribution.

By order of the International Council, results from other centres will not be released and will remain confidential.

Please do not contact the Assessments Office for results.

Fees and applications

The fees for the Assessments in 2008 are:

Complete Basic Science, including Optics and Refraction (Parts I and II): 500 Swiss francs or 400 US dollars

Basic Science without Optics and Refraction (Part I only): 445 Swiss francs or 355 US dollars

Optics and Refraction only (Part II): 265 Swiss francs or 210 US dollars

Clinical Sciences: 680 Swiss francs or 545 US dollars

No refund is given to candidates who enroll for both papers but only complete part of the Assessment.

In some centres Co-ordinators are prepared to:

Candidates wishing to withdraw their applications must do so in writing. For withdrawals received before the closing date (January 31), a full fee refund will be given (less a small charge for administration).

No refunds will be allowed for candidates who fail to attend the Assessment or who withdraw after the closing date.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered. No candidate will be allowed to take the Assessment unless an application form and fee has been received.

Application and more information

Applications for the Assessment must be made on the official application forms (photocopies will not be accepted). These are available to individuals or institutions from:

The Examination Secretary
International Council of Ophthalmology Strangeways,
2 Wort's Causeway Cambridge CB1 8RN
England, UK
Telephone: + 44 (0) 1223 244101
Fax: + 44 (0) 1223 244079
E-mail: assess@icoph.org

Peter Watson FRCS, FRCOphth
Assessments Director
International Council of Ophthalmology

Next: Clinical Sciences Assessment