Specialized education
Updated on October 17, 2024.
Based on a public law agreement concluded between the Ministry of Health (MH) of the Czech Republic (CR) and the rectors of three universities – Charles University in Prague, Masaryk University in Brno, and Palacký University in Olomouc, it was decided that, starting in 2012, postgraduate education for doctors in basic fields (except for general practice) would be transferred from the Institute for Postgraduate Medical Education (IPME) to the medical faculties (MF) of the above-mentioned universities. As of January 1, 2012, it is therefore only possible to enroll in the ophthalmology training program at one of the seven medical faculties of these universities. Physicians who were previously enrolled in the IPME training program must re-register at one of the seven medical faculties listed above. The necessary information, forms, and contact details for the responsible officer can be found on the websites of all medical faculties.
Educational programs
Pre-certification training takes place at accredited workplaces in accordance with the valid educational program (EP). EPs are published in the Bulletins of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic; we recommend that doctors enrolled in EP 2018 also familiarize themselves with information regarding the modification of EP 2018. The course of specialized training is recorded in a certificate of expertise (index).
Physicians enrolled in specialized training by June 30, 2017, may complete their specialized training according to the original EPs (2005, 2009, 2011, 2015). After 24 months of pre-certification training, doctors enrolled in these EP will complete basic ophthalmology training, and the medical faculty at which the doctor is enrolled will issue a certificate of completion of basic training. Trainees will thus expand their competencies in accordance with the EP. The physician then continues their own specialized training for 36–48 months according to the EP and, after fulfilling all conditions, may take the certification exam.
Doctors enrolled in specialized training from July 1, 2017, proceed according to the new EP (2018). After 30 months of pre-certification training, doctors enrolled in this EP complete basic ophthalmology training, at the end of which they must pass a core exam to obtain a certificate of completion of basic training. Trainees will thus expand their competencies in accordance with the EP. The physician then continues their own specialized training for 24 months and, after fulfilling all the conditions, can take the certification exam. The dates of the post-core exams, the examination board, and the exam topics are published on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic.
The pre-certification test is mandatory in the 2005, 2009, 2011, and 2015 training programs; it is not included in the 2018 training program. The test dates are published on the IPME website, and trainees are required to register for the test by the deadline. The test itself will be conducted in the computer classroom of the IPME, Ruská 85, Prague 10. Trainees may take a maximum of two attempts at this test in a single calendar year, with the second attempt taking place no sooner than one month after the first unsuccessful attempt. A score of 65% correct answers is required to pass the test.
Certification exam
Certification exams (CE) rotate at the Faculty of Medicine according to a pre-approved schedule. Depending on the specific EP, doctors can take the CE after 4.5–5 years of pre-certification training. It is possible to register for CE according to all currently valid EP, issued in 2005, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2018, according to their validity at the time of enrollment. It is possible to change the program forward in time (for EP 2005, 2011, and 2015 without a decision, but for EP 2018 based on a decision on the recognition of practice, which is handled by IPME – form 16b). It is necessary to fulfill all the requirements of the given VP in the theoretical and practical parts, including the core.
The dates and locations of the certification exams, the scope of exam questions, and the list of names of certification committee members are published on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic.
The dates and locations of the certification exams will be published on the website of the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic no later than December 31 of the relevant year. Applicants for certification are required to register for the CE no later than 60 days before the date of the CE at the medical faculty that organizes the CE for the given field, provided that they meet the requirements for registration at the time of application – i.e., 60 days before the CE, they have met all the requirements set by the educational program for the given field of specialized education. However, due to the administrative complexity of checking applications, the recommended deadline for submitting an application is 90 days.
The CE consists of a theoretical part and a practical part. The practical part takes place in an accredited facility, precedes the theoretical part of the CE, and can only take place within 60 days of applying for certification. The exam is valid for two years, but must be taken after registration and verification. The content of the practical part is determined by the relevant EP. The theoretical part consists of two questions and the defense of the CT.
Certification thesis
The certification thesis (CT) is mandatory in all EP programs. Instructions for preparing the CT can always be found on the website of the medical faculty where the CE will take place. As a rule, one year before the certification date, doctors are assigned an CT topic by the guarantor of the field from an accredited facility where the candidate underwent specialized training in the field of the examination at the time of admission to the field or where they first underwent specialized training in the field of the examination, if they did not undergo specialized training in the field of the examination at the time of admission to the field. The completed CT is approved by the supervisor from the accredited facility where the candidate completed their specialised training in the field of the examination as their last. The CT must be submitted by the physician no later than 60 days before the date of certification to the department (office) for specialized training at the medical faculty where he or she is registered for CE, in two copies and in electronic form.
The chairperson or member of the certification committee responsible for organizing and conducting the certification shall immediately send the CT to the individual members of the committee for evaluation. The members of the certification committee shall inform the member of the certification committee responsible for organizing and conducting the certification of their evaluation of the CT no later than one month before the certification date.
If the candidate's CT is rejected by a majority of the committee, the certification date will be postponed. According to the valid Decree No. 282/2019 Coll., the CE may be replaced by a professional article published in a peer-reviewed journal, if the candidate is listed as the first or corresponding author. It must be an original work. No review is required for such work, but the candidate defends it at the CE; the defense of the work always replaces one of the three questions in the theoretical CE.
The candidate prepares a 10-minute presentation of their CT in PowerPoint, which they use to begin their CE before the attestation committee.
Certification Committee
The certification committee for a given date is approved by the Specialization Field Council (SFC) for ophthalmology based on a proposal by the head of the eye clinic organizing the certification on that date. It is assumed that the proposal has already been discussed with the proposed members and that the nominees agree to participate in the CE. The certification committee must have at least three members and all components must be represented, i.e., a representative of the organizing medical faculty, a representative of another medical faculty, a representative of a professional medical society (Czech Society of Ophthalmology, ČSO), and a representative of the Czech Medical Chamber (ČMCH). A list of examiners approved by the Coordinating Council and issued with decrees by the Ministry of Health is available. If any of the examiners are nominated by more than one component (e.g., ČSO and ČMCH), they may represent these components in a single person at the certification.
Dates and locations of certification exams, organization provided by a member of the certification committee
|
June 3–5, 2024 November 12–14, 2024 |
Rotation of certification exams in subsequent years
| Jaro | Podzim | |
| 2024 | LF UK Plzeň | LF UP Olomouc |
| 2025 | LF UK Hradec Králové | 3. LF UK Praha |
| 2026 | 1. LF UK Praha | LF MU Brno |
| 2027 | LFU Ostrava | 2. LF UK Praha |
| 2028 | LF UK Plzeň | LF UP Olomouc |
| 2029 | 3. LF UK Praha | LF UK Hradec Králové |