EMG/NCV International Course
Appropriate for PTs, DCs, MDs, Healthcare Professionals
Talk to a Diagnostics Expert
"Doing diagnostics can actually revolutionize where Physical Therapy is going and change the way we look at a patient and interact with physicians with this information." - Christina Panetta, PT
About Course
Watch online lectures and attend in-person laboratory sessions with direct interaction with the faculty. Have access to our online digital library of lectures and demonstrations for several months after completion of the course.
Further your education through a stepwise hybrid education of online lectures and in-person laboratories, along with an on-site opportunity to achieve full certification as a specialist in EMG/NCV by becoming certified as a Diplomate of Clinical Electrodiagnosis and earn the credential D-EDX.
The EMG/NCV program is separated into four stages. Each successive stage provides more in-depth material from basic understanding to more cognitive application of all concepts required to interpret NCV data and EMG waveforms and write EMG/NCV reports. The student has the option to take the entire program (Stage 1 through 4) or take any number of stages they desire. It is important for the in-person components of the program that you acquire or have access to an EMG/NCS unit.
Talk to a Diagnostics Expert
"Doing diagnostics can actually revolutionize where Physical Therapy is going and change the way we look at a patient and interact with physicians with this information." - Christina Panetta, PT
Course Overview
To obtain the Diplomate of the EMG/NCS Course students must take all four stages of the course.
Stage 1 – Competency in Basic Electrodiagnostic Examination Principles
Provides education via online lectures regarding basic nerve conduction studies and needle EMG. Lectures will also discuss commonly encountered mononeuropathies and radiculopathies. This stage consists of the student gaining access to recorded online lectures on the above topics. Students will have the ability to submit questions on the material to a course instructor via a discussion board. The student will be able to take an online examination consisting of questions related to the lectures. The passing score of this exam is 70%.
Stage 2 – Competency in Advanced Electrodiagnostic Examination Principles
Builds upon the knowledge obtained in Stage One above and adds additional nerve conduction tests that increase the depth and diagnostic power of an EMG/NCV test via additional online lectures. Lectures will also discuss more advanced pathologies such as peripheral polyneuropathies, plexopathies, neuromuscular junction disorders, and myopathies. Students will have the ability to submit questions on the material to a course instructor via a discussion board. The student will be able to take an online examination consisting of questions related to the lectures of stages one and stage two. The passing score of this exam is 70%.
Stage 3 – Attendance in Performing EMG/NCV Studies
Students registered for this stage will gain access to recorded demonstrations of basic and advanced nerve conduction studies and needle EMG techniques. Students will also be required to either visit the US for a four-day in-person laboratory session or arrange for a faculty member to come to their native country for a four-day in-person laboratory session. Students will be able to arrange for in-person laboratory sessions in their native country with other students registered for this stage at a reduced cost. The cost will depend upon the option chosen and the number of students attending a laboratory session in the student’s native country.
Stage 4 – Diplomate of Clinical Electrodiagnosis
Students registered for this stage will gain access to online case study presentations by faculty. Students will have the ability to submit questions on the material to a course instructor via a discussion board. This stage consists of the student electronically submitting 50 total electrodiagnostic studies for grading by a mentor and a virtual observation & mentoring session. The first 25 electrodiagnostic studies submitted electronically as word processing documents (MS Word, IOS pages, etc) will consist of nerve conduction study data tables and waveforms only and will be graded for technical proficiency using an established rubric. These studies should be performed on individuals without known or suspected impairments (non-patients). A 70% score is needed on each non-patient study. The second 25 electrodiagnostic studies will compromise an entire electrodiagnostic exam (as permitted within legal jurisdiction); which includes a subjective history, clinical examination, nerve conduction study data tables and waveforms, needle EMG table results, a summary of findings, and electrodiagnostic impression. These patient reports should also be submitted electronically as word processing documents along with data files from the electrodiagnostic machine. The patient studies will also be graded using an established rubric for technical accuracy and adherence to published guidelines for an electrodiagnostic examination patient report. A 70% score is needed on each non-patient study. The virtual observation & mentoring session will consist of a faculty member observing and providing feedback to the student for at least 4 actual patient electrodiagnostic examinations performed by the student at their home clinic. The virtually observed patient exam will be graded for technical accuracy, adherence to published guidelines on examination protocols & patient report contents, and for critical thinking skills using an established rubric. A 70% score is needed on each patient exam that is virtually observed. Completion of this final stage will earn the student the designation of a “Diplomate of Clinical Electrodiagnosis” and authorization to use the credentials “D-EDX”.
To obtain the Certificate of Proficiency in the EMG/NCS Course students must take all three online-only stages of the course.
Stage 1 – Competency in Basic Electrodiagnostic Examination Principles
Provides education via online lectures regarding basic nerve conduction studies and needle EMG. Lectures will also discuss commonly encountered mononeuropathies and radiculopathies. This stage consists of the student gaining access to recorded online lectures on the above topics. Students will have the ability to submit questions on the material to a course instructor via a discussion board. The student will be able to take an online examination consisting of questions related to the lectures. The passing score of this exam is 70%.
Stage 2 – Competency in Advanced Electrodiagnostic Examination Principles
Builds upon the knowledge obtained in Stage One above and adds additional nerve conduction tests that increase the depth and diagnostic power of an EMG/NCV test via additional online lectures. Lectures will also discuss more advanced pathologies such as peripheral polyneuropathies, plexopathies, neuromuscular junction disorders, and myopathies. Students will have the ability to submit questions on the material to a course instructor via a discussion board. The student will be able to take an online examination consisting of questions related to the lectures of stages one and stage two. The passing score of this exam is 70%.
Stage 4 – Certificate of Proficiency in Clinical Electrodiagnosis
Students registered for this stage will gain access to online case study presentations by faculty. Students will have the ability to submit questions on the material to a course instructor via a discussion board. This stage consists of the student electronically submitting 50 total electrodiagnostic studies for grading by a mentor and a virtual observation & mentoring session. The first 25 electrodiagnostic studies submitted electronically as word processing documents (MS Word, IOS pages, etc) will consist of nerve conduction study data tables and waveforms only and will be graded for technical proficiency using an established rubric. These studies should be performed on individuals without known or suspected impairments (non-patients). A 70% score is needed on each non-patient study. The second 25 electrodiagnostic studies will compromise an entire electrodiagnostic exam (as permitted within legal jurisdiction); which includes a subjective history, clinical examination, nerve conduction study data tables and waveforms, needle EMG table results, a summary of findings, and electrodiagnostic impression. These patient reports should also be submitted electronically as word processing documents along with data files from the electrodiagnostic machine. The patient studies will also be graded using an established rubric for technical accuracy and adherence to published guidelines for an electrodiagnostic examination patient report. A 70% score is needed on each non-patient study. The virtual observation & mentoring session will consist of a faculty member observing and providing feedback to the student for at least 4 actual patient electrodiagnostic examinations performed by the student at their home clinic. The virtually observed patient exam will be graded for technical accuracy, adherence to published guidelines on examination protocols & patient report contents, and for critical thinking skills using an established rubric. A 70% score is needed on each patient exam that is virtually observed. Completion of this final stage will earn the student the designation of a “Certificate of Proficiency in Clinical Electrodiagnosis”.
In this format of the course, students are not required to attend the four-day in-person laboratory session (stage 3) either in the US or in their native country. All material and lectures about this format of the course are covered online only.
Detailed Overview of Course
Course Description
- This Course sponsored by the American Academy of Clinical Electrodiagnosis, gathers expert clinicians who are also academic leaders and professors in EMG/NCV to provide you with the knowledge you will need to earn certification in this specialty area. The in-depth knowledge of each faculty member allows the participant to gain a unique perspective on the clinical practice of this specialty area. The Course offers a paradigm to enable appropriate patient evaluation techniques followed by Electrophysiologic (EMG and NCV) practice techniques that enable efficient and effective practice patterns.
- Topics in the Course include: anatomy, physiology, biomedical instrumentation, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, neuropathology, patient ethics, and other basic science items.
- Significant time is spent on learning nerve conduction (motor, sensory and late responses) techniques on most peripheral nerves in both the upper and lower extremity as well as the facial nerve.
- Needle EMG studies are practiced on all major muscles in both the upper and lower extremity as well as the paraspinal musculature.
- All material is centered on evidence-based principles.
- Laboratory practice is an important aspect of this Course as 50% of the Course time is devoted to guided laboratory studies and case study analysis.
- Integration of the EMG topics to the NCV topics occurs early in the Course and is emphasized and enhanced by case study examinations worked on in small group activities.
- The student learns the appropriate mechanisms to interpret the EMG/NCV data and develop appropriate reporting strategies.
- Appropriate discussion on ethical practice is stressed.
Who may enroll?
Enrollment is offered to any licensed health care practitioner in their country of origin. International practitioners that would qualify for that course include: Doctors of Medicine, Doctors of Osteopathy, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and Naturopathic Physicians.
Continuing education hours awarded
- 162 CEU credits available (registrant must notify AACE 60 days before beginning of Course if CEUs are being requested).
- 162 CEU Category II CMES – applied for by the registrant.
General conduct of course
- Lectures – all online now – study when you want and where you want.
- Supervised laboratory process:
- Uses laboratory manual to guide student.
- Excellent ratio of expert laboratory faculty to student (4 students to one laboratory
expert).
- Sufficient time to talk with expert clinicians during laboratory.
- Computer based didactic examinations.
Common questions about the course
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Contact information
- Call Us at +1 (877) 236-4038
- Email Us at [email protected]
- Schedule a Discovery Call
