EpiFITE Examination

What is EpiFITE?

The Epilepsy Fellowship In-service Training Examination (EpiFITE) is an epilepsy-specific examination that enables program directors and fellows to determine if there are specific areas where more study and experience are needed.

EpiITE assesses trainee knowledge of epilepsy treatment, identifies areas for growth, serves as practice for (and a mechanism to predict success on) other examinations (such as the ABPN Epilepsy Certification Exam), and provides benchmarking against other programs nationwide.

Important Dates

December 2, 2024: Registration Opens
March 1, 2025: Registration Deadline
March 12 - 19, 2025: Testing Window
April 2, 2025: Results Available

**If you wish to register for the 2025 Epilepsy Fellowship In-service Training Examination (EpiFITE) please contact education@aesnet.org.**

Exam Content and Length

Online, computer-based 110-question exam in a 'one best answer format'
Content will follow the ABPN Subspecialty Certification Examination in Epilepsy Medicine Content Blueprint and also be informed y the ACGME Epilepsy Milestones
Examinees are given up to three hours (anticipated average completion is two hours)

Exam Topic Breakdown

Seizure Classificiation: 10% (Seizure semiology, epilepsy syndromes)
EEG: 20% (Routine and ambulatory, long-term monitoring, intracranial)
Evaluation: 20% (Epilepsy history and exam, genetics, chemical/metabolic/CSF testing, imaging, neuropsychological testing)
Management: 35% (Overall principles, AEDs, ketogenic diet, brain stimulation and other treatments, surgical treatment, status epilepticus, comorbidities, and psychosocial issues)
Mechanisms of the Epilepsies: 1-% (Pathology and pathophysiology)
System-Based Practice Issues: 5%

Exam Development Process

Exam questions are developed by an expert faculty comprised of epilepsy professionals trained to develop coursework and examinations that challenge the knowledge, competence, and performance of epilepsy trainees. Questions undergo a comprehensive review by a test development specialist to ensure the content is clearly written, educationally significant, and inclusive of necessary and relevant topics.

Exam Administration

EpiFITE is an online examination. Program directors or program coordinators proctor the exam to fellows at their home institutions during the designated testing window. More information can be found below in the EpiFITE FAQs.

Scoring and Reporting

Following the completion of the exam, participants will receive an electronic report that contains discussion and references for any questions answered incorrectly. Participating programs will be able to download a diagnostic report that includes comparisons to other programs.

EpiFITE FAQs

What is the EpiFITE Examination

The American Epilepsy Society offers an in-service training examination called EpiFITE. EpiFITE is an epilepsy-specific examination that enables program directors and fellows to determine if there are specific areas where more study and experience are needed.

Why should my program register for EpiFITE?

Currently, EpiFITE is the only epilepsy-specific examination. This exam will help epilepsy fellowship programs:

Assess trainee knowledge of epilepsy treatment

Identify areas for growth

Serve as a prediction for other examinations such as the ABPN Epilepsy

Subspecialty Certification

Benchmark performance to peers nationally

What does the examination cover?

Exam content will follow the ABPN Subspecialty Certification in Epilepsy Medicine Content Blueprint and also be informed by the ACGME Epilepsy Milestones.

How much does it cost? What payment types are accepted?

The EpiFITE examination fee is $99 per fellow. Please complete the online registration form to enroll your fellows. The online registration form will be available on the EpiFITE webpage. Online credit card payment is accepted to ensure immediate registration for the exam.

Can my program pay by check?

If you are unable to pay by credit card, then you may pay the registration fee by check. All check registrations must be mailed or postmarked by Friday, January 31, 2025. Please contact education@aesnet.org for further assistance.

What is the refund policy for EpiFITE?

TRefunds may be requested until Friday, February 28, 2025. Refund requests made after this date will not be accepted. Emergency situations will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please contact education@aesnet.org.

Who should submit the registration form for EpiFITE?

Only the program contact should submit the registration form. The program contact may be either the fellowship program director or program coordinator. This individual will be the primary contact with AES and receive all exam communications.

If my program is not ACGME-accredited, or not in the United States, are my fellows able to participate?

Yes, non-ACGME-accredited programs and international programs are permitted to register for the exam.

When is the testing window?

Program directors and/or coordinators will determine which date (between March 12 and 19) their fellows will take the exam. The exam closes at 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. All fellows must take the exam on the same day, at the same time

What are the proctoring procedures?

The examination must always be proctored, and the proctor should check participants in ahead of time.

Fellows should NOT be allowed in the room prior to the proctor.

The program contact is responsible for ensuring the exam is proctored and deciding when to administer the exam during the testing window.

On the date of the exam, the program contact should provide the fellows with the program invitation code.

All fellows at your institution must take the exam on the same day.

Fellows should have access to a computer and an internet connection. Any major internet browser may be used to log in to the exam, and cookies must be enabled in the browser’s settings.

This is not an open-book exam. Fellows should not have anything on their desks. Textbooks, notes, and pocket guides are not allowed.

All cell phones and pagers should be turned in to the proctor.

How do fellow access the exam?

On the exam day, fellows log into learn.aesnet.org. All fellows must have an AES account to access the exam. Fellows enter the program-specific invitation code and begin the exam at the specificed date and time.

How long does the exam typically take?

The exam is estimated to take three hours to complete, but the anticipated average completion time is two hours. Please allow enough time for fellows to take the exam in a single session. However, if they exceed three hours, the system will not lock a learner out.

What feedback will fellows receive?

Upon completion of the exam, fellows may download their own electronic report. This report includes their score and discussion and references for any questions answered incorrectly. To download the report, they will need to log into the LMS site, navigate to the exam, and select REPORTS.

What feedback do programs receive?

The program contact will receive an email from AES with instructions on how to access the electronic downloadable diagnostic report for their fellows from the exam system April 2, 2025.

Can anyone access the diagnostic report?

The program contact will have access to the reports. If the program director’s name and email were included on the registration form, they will be able to log in and access the report. Otherwise, only the program contact will be able to download the report.

Questions

Please contact education@aesnet.org with additional questions.