Self-assessments
On-Line Assessment (OLA) & Home On-Line Assessment (HOLA)
Test your knowledge and skills with the On-Line Assessment (OLA) & Home On-Line Assessment (HOLA), a computer-based online test very similar to the EDAIC Part I Examination.
Next On-Line Assessment (OLA): Friday 26 April 2024
Next Home On-Line Assessment (HOLA): 10 May at 11:00 CEST 2024 to Tuesday 21 May at 11:00 CEST 2024
OLA/HOLA Individual and Group Registrations are closed.
About the assessment
The On-Line Assessment (OLA) is a computer-based online test very similar to the EDAIC Part I Examination.
All questions of the OLA have been created to match the domains set by the UEMS European Training Requirements in Anaesthesiology, meaning that the OLA is the ideal tool to assess the anaesthetic and intensive care training as defined by the UEMS. The OLA is held in April on a yearly basis and is also, therefore, a perfect test for all candidates planning to take the EDAIC Part I examination in autumn.
The Home On-Line Assessment (HOLA) is the home version of the OLA, which offers flexibility in terms of planning and location to the registered candidates. In 2023, the HOLA was run successfully with more than 2000 candidates. The HOLA is not restricted to any number of participants.
The OLA and HOLA are offered in 11 languages: English, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Turkish and Chinese.
Marking and feedback
The OLA and HOLA have the same structure and marking system as the EDAIC Part I Examination and ITA. They use 2 sets of 60 Multiple Choice Questions, with 5 true/false answers to give for each question. The first section corresponds to Paper A, Basic Science, and the second to Paper B, Clinical Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. This means that each set of questions has a maximum score of 300 marks: 1 mark for a correct answer, 0 marks for a blank or wrong answer.
A detailed report of the candidate’s performance by section (A and B) and by domain is then prepared through the ESAIC office. This report comprises the national and global averages of candidates at the same stage of training, in addition to the overall average scores of all participating candidates. For the sake of additional comparison, previous pass marks of the EDAIC Part I Papers will also be communicated.
Preparation
As the OLA is similar to the EDAIC Part I Examination in terms of contents and preparation, OLA candidates should read the following documents related to the EDAIC Part I: How to prepare for the EDAIC, a sample of EDAIC Part I questions and Recommended Reading List.
Individual Registrations for the OLA and HOLA
- These registrations apply to individual online registrations taking place after the group registrations. Please make sure your Director of Training has not registered you for the next OLA/HOLA as part of a group before registering online individually.
- OLA will only be offered to candidates from the following countries: Argentina, Moldova, Slovenia and Belgium French-speaking community. Candidates from other countries must choose HOLA when registering.
- Candidates willing to register individually for the OLA or HOLA must have a myESAIC account and register through it. If you already have a MyESAIC account, please use the same credentials and do not create a new account.
- Different payment options are available, including payment by debit or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Bancontact, American Express), and Paypal. Admission documents and invoices will be e-mailed to candidates only if payment has been received and registration is successful.
- Make sure that you agree to the OLA Regulations or HOLA Regulations before applying.
- Capacity restrictions: All OLA centres have a limited capacity – register early to avoid inconveniences incurred by fully booked centres. This does not apply to HOLA, which has unlimited capacity. Centres which are fully booked cannot be overbooked, and there are no waiting lists. If the centre where you are registered cannot be opened for any unforeseen reason, you will be contacted by the ESAIC and offered an alternative.
- Please add the following e-mail addresses to your list of accepted contacts, as the Examinations Office will contact you by e-mail for any questions related to your OLA/HOLA: vera.morales@esaic.org or exam@esaic.org
- Cancellation – Refund – Postponement: OLA/HOLA registration orders are not refundable. Please see all cancellation/refund/postponement conditions here. If you cannot attend your OLA/HOLA for any reason, you should please inform the ESAIC office as early as possible so that all organisational steps can be taken.
- Visas: In the unlikely event of a candidate taking the (H)OLA abroad, the candidate is responsible for having a valid passport and meeting all the COVID-19-related travelling conditions. (H)OLA registration can neither be refunded nor postponed after the registration deadline, even for refused visas.
- COVID-19: If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, we ask you not to come to your OLA centre. If a candidate displays symptoms on the OLA day, the ESAIC, through the Local Host reserves the right to forbid access to the examination premises and send the candidate home.
- Changing your registration details: Please note that we can change your centre or language before the registration deadline only. Changing your OLA centre is allowed only once and depends on organisational constraints and the availability of places.
- Dyslexic/PTSD candidates: 15 additional minutes for each paper may be awarded to OLA/HOLA candidates suffering from dyslexia or post-traumatic stress disorder. Dyslexic/PTSD candidates must send a letter with a diagnosis, written and signed by a psychologist, to exam@esaic.org and vera.morales@esaic.org, a maximum of 2 weeks after the registration deadline.
Group Registrations for the OLA and HOLA
OLA 2024
OLA Directors of Training from Argentina, Moldova, Slovenia, and the Belgium French-speaking community can register a group of candidates for one of the OLA centres published on the ESAIC website (provided there are seats available).
Directors of Training from other countries can only register a group of candidates for HOLA.
Why register your residents for the OLA/HOLA?
The OLA/HOLA was designed to help anaesthetists identify areas where their knowledge needs improving and updating. Directors of Training, consultants and trainees at different stages of training currently use the OLA/HOLA for various purposes: examination preparation, regular self-assessment, formal examination and help for revalidation. The objective will vary depending on the user.
The OLA/HOLA and EDAIC Part I Examination use the same marking system and are similar in content and structure. Candidates preparing for the EDAIC Part I, or a comparable examination, can therefore use the OLA/HOLA to identify areas that require further study. The ESAIC does not set a pass mark for the OLA/HOLA but does provide the Part I pass marks of previous years to candidates for reference. In countries where the OLA is mandatory, the relevant National authority sets the pass marks.
Individuals may use the OLA/HOLA to regularly evaluate their progress, either using their own performance at previous OLA/HOLA as a benchmark or by comparing their current scores with the average scores of their peers in the different subjects. Directors of Training wishing to evaluate the training needs and performance of a group of individuals can use the assessment as a supporting tool.
Finally, the OLA/HOLA may become an important tool for senior colleagues interested in using their individual OLA/HOLA result reports as part of their evidence for revalidation.
Candidate Registration
HOLA has unlimited capacity in terms of candidates.
OLA centres are first open to local residents through group registration and subsequently to external candidates from the same country through individual online registration. Only the remaining examination stations will be made available to external candidates through the individual online registration system.
During group registration, Hosts can register their residents for the OLA/HOLA via an Excel group registration form sent by email to the ESAIC Office. Should you need to receive this Group Registration Form, please contact: vera.morales@esaic.org
If a Host registers residents through group registration, he or she will receive an invoice for the group as well as a group report with the results of the non-specialist candidates he or she registered. The residents will also receive their individual performance reports.
Hosts of OLA centres who do not wish to register candidates and prefer to make all the places in their centres available during individual online registrations can do so but will receive no invoice or group results. During individual registrations, candidates pay directly online.
Important: candidates who were registered during group registration by their Director of Training should not register again individually via the online registration system.
If you have any questions, please contact vera.morales@esaic.org