The date for the 2019 ISE and OKAT exams will remain the same as the previous years, which is the third Saturday of November (November 16, 2019). As a guideline, it should be started after 7 a.m. and completed by midnight in your time zone. The ISE is allotted 4 hours for completion and the OKAT is allotted 3 hours. Following last year, registration will begin later than in years past. Registration information will be sent to Program Coordinators and Directors in August with registration opening August 19. Please refer to the Deadlines and Timeline page for more detail. 

The In-Service Examination (ISE) and Oncology Knowledge Assessment Test (OKAT) are both computerized multiple-choice examinations. The American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. sponsors the In-Service Examination to assist residency program directors, faculty, and residents in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the education of their training program, as well as the performance and progress of individual residents. There is no pass or fail level for this examination in contradistinction to the Qualifying Examination (Part I) of the American Board of Urology.

The purpose of the In-Service Examination is to improve the quality of resident education by providing objective data to faculty and residents. It is not designed to judge the competence of residents. It is the responsibility of the Program Director that it be treated as such, and administered under "secure, monitored conditions." This includes preventing the duplication of the exam by proctors and residents. If the AUA becomes aware that any program is disclosing, reproducing or discussing the content of any part of the examination, the program will be disallowed from future participation in the ISE.

The AUA produces the OKAT to assist uro-oncology program directors in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the education of their training program, as well as the performance and progress of individual fellows. It also assists faculty and SUO members in evaluating their individual strengths and weaknesses and provides peer group comparisons.

The purpose of the OKAT is to improve the quality of fellowship education and the general knowledge of the urologic oncologist by providing objective data to faculty, oncology urology fellows, and practicing oncology urologists. The OKAT is not designed to judge the competence of its participants and there is no pass or fail level for this examination.

Residency Programs

Ahead of the exam, you will need to determine the venue for the exam (i.e., local testing center, department/division computers, or personal laptops). Replicate the testing environment you used last year if you were happy with the outcome. Otherwise, contact your Department of Surgery as they currently administer their American Board of Surgery Resident exam at campus testing centers. You may be able to duplicate what they are doing and use the same testing facility. This could save you some time when determining how you plan to administer the exam. Personal laptop computers may be used if you don't have a testing center or enough desktops. It will be necessary to perform a system check and download a secure browser on each computer one week before the examination regardless of the venue selected. More details can be found under Advanced Instructions.

IMPORTANT: The Oncology Knowledge Assessment Test (OKAT) will also be given at some (not all) of the same sites as the In-Service Examination. The OKAT will be held in the same room, using the same proctors. Like the ISE, the OKAT is a closed book computerized exam. No reference materials are allowed in the room during the exam. The Oncology Knowledge Assessment Test is approximately 115 questions. It should begin at the same time as the In-Service with 3 hours allowed for completion instead of 4 hours for the ISE. Proctors: Please follow the same procedures when administering the Oncology Knowledge Assessment Test as you do the In-Service Examination, with the exception of the difference in time allowed. Please refer to all OKAT instructions.

Some programs may be hosting guest individuals taking the ISE or OKAT. Guest OKAT, ABU, and ISE participants are responsible for contacting the host program site for testing arrangements, including start time, location, and method of testing (i.e., if they need to bring a laptop). Your program will be responsible for making accommodations for these individuals.

To ensure the integrity of the examination, we continue to require two full-time faculty proctors from your program be present. This is important in the event of an emergency situation where one proctor is unable to assist.

Fellowship/Faculty

As in previous years, urologic oncology fellows and faculty will be taking the OKAT at their residency training program. The fellowship program directors are responsible for contacting their residency program site for testing arrangement details including start time and location. If it is decided that personal laptops will be used, it is required that a system check be run one week before the exam date on all laptops. If fellowship programs and/or faculty run the system check, they must provide confirmation of success to the onsite proctor the day of the exam.

SUO Members

SUO members will designate their preferred exam site via our online registration website. Members are responsible for contacting their selected site which will be listed on their registration confirmation email. The hosting program is responsible for making testing arrangement details including start time, location, and method of testing. If it is decided that personal laptops will be used and the SUO Member is asked to provide one, the SUO Member must run a system check, one week prior to the exam and they must also provide confirmation of success to the onsite proctor the day of the exam.

For questions or concerns, please email education@auanet.org.