The European Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (EBTCS) was founded by the three societies EACTS, ESTS and ESCVS on the 4th October 1996.
The primary goal of the Board is to create a common high standard for the quality of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in all European countries. The European Board was set up to establish a standard for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery that can be recognised across Europe. This should also allow for mutual recognition between European Countries.
While we would like to see standards as high as possible, it is not the intention that the examination requires a level of excellence that is only attainable by a minority. The purpose is to recognise and award the certificate of the Board to recently appointed surgeons who attain a level of knowledge and competence that can be recognised as appropriate for independent practice throughout Europe.