section menu

EBOD Exams

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

The European Board of Ophthalmology (EBO) aims to deliver high quality examinations that are designed to assess knowledge and clinical skills. When designing EBO examinations, the Education Committee upholds the following principles:

• 1. Protecting standards and harmonisation

The Education committee works closely with National delegates, European societies and other EBO committees to design examinations that reflect the high standards of clinical practice in Ophthalmology across Europe.

The Education Committee supports candidates’ preparation, monitors quality standards of its examinations and ensure that successful candidates are awarded highly regarded qualifications.

• 2. Maintain knowledge

The Education committee ensures that members involved in writing examination material and external collaborators invited to contribute to writing questions are individuals with appropriate research and/or clinical experience. The Education committee also provides targeted teaching and continuous guidance to examiners and contributors to ensure that their roles are understood and fulfilled.

• 3. Promote an effective examining system

After appointing examiners or accepting examination materials, the Education Committee constantly reviews its processes for avoiding actual or perceived conflicts of interest in examiners or examination material selection.

• 4. Ensure fairness and transparency in assessment

The Education Committee plays a vital role in ensuring that examinations are fair, transparent and reliable. Our objective is to design examinations that cover the expected syllabus and examination materials are clear and free from errors. We ensure that marking is completed in a timely manner and it follows consistent and validated rules. We also aim to set pass marks that fairly reflect the level of difficulty of the examination. We validate our outcomes using independent statistical analysis and constantly review and reflect on the delivery of learning outcomes.

The Education Committee also deals with any misbehaviour that might give some students an unfair advantage over others (please refer to the Instructions and Rules for online examination guideline).

However the Education Committee recognises that errors can occur and that on very rare occasions our examinations can be subject to disruptions that may affect candidate performance. To ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly, there is an appeal procedure to allow candidates to appeal against outcomes. Before sitting EBO examinations you will have to confirm that you have read and understood the EBO Instructions and Rules for online examination guideline and Appeals procedure guideline

• 5. Support inclusivity and equity in learning and assessment

The Education Committee constantly monitors the content and delivery of examinations to make them inclusive and reflecting the diversity of the candidates. The Education committee is always reviewing its assessment policies in order to mitigate attainment gaps, and ensure that examinations are aligned with appropriate learning outcomes. Please find our reasonable adjustments policy here.

EBO Exams 2025

Please note applications are not open for Swiss candidates- Swiss candidates should contact SOG.

Autumn Exam 18th October Online

Please note: the 2024 Autumn EBO Diploma exam will be fully online. If you plan to sit the exam, please consider where you will take the exam (that there is adequate broadband, it is quiet and you will be undisturbed for the duration of the exam) and with what device (a Windows 10 or Macbook should be adequate, but you must have a webcam, audio functions, and broadband connectivity).  This exam will be “remotely proctored”, which means invigilation will occur by someone watching you take the exam via your webcam.

On results: Results will not be available the next day (as they are for in person exams). Results will be issued 4 weeks after the exam sitting.

The European Board of Ophthalmology Diploma (EBOD) Examination is a test of excellence in ophthalmology. It is designed to assess the knowledge and clinical skills requisite to the delivery of a high standard of ophthalmology care both in hospitals and in independent clinical practices.

The EBOD is the responsibility of the Education Committee. The examination usually takes place every year in Paris, France (Spring Exam) and planned for the first time in 2025 in Berlin, Germany (Autumn Exam)  and welcomes eligible candidates from all over Europe. For the 2024 exams, the Spring Exam will be held in person in Paris on May 3rd and Autumn exam will be held online on October 18th. The pass rate has been stable over the past years (around 90 percent). The EBOD Examination in most countries of the European Union is voluntary. However, some countries like Switzerland, France, Belgium, Austria and Ireland have either made it a mandatory addition to their National Specialist Exam or used it to replace this Exam.

Successful candidates may add the title Fellow of the European Board of Ophthalmology (FEBO) after his or her name.

Diploma Award 

All resident candidate certificates will be emailed to successful candidates. The Diploma will remain in the care of their National Delegate/National Society until the Candidate has provided a certified copy of a document confirming national registration as a Specialist.  Candidates will need to contact their National Delegate/National Society to arrange receipt of the diploma. Candidates who pass the EBOD examination and already hold a valid certificate of Specialist in Ophthalmology in any country of the European Union, Norway, or Switzerland will be sent their diploma by post.

 

Please see candidate Online Exam Information here

Please see sample Clinical Case here