Cath Lab and EP Lab Quiz App
Learn about the Cath and EP Lab Quiz App already used in 24 countries and regions!
WHY WE CREATED CATH AND EP LAB QUIZ APPS
Have you ever asked:
- How do I test myself a little bit every day for the cath and EP lab?
- I really enjoy those social media quizzes DMAB and DMTH have, can I revisit them?
- Where can I take more mock exams for RCES and RCIS?
- How do I keep up with new devices, concepts and procedures without feeling overwhelmed?
These are exactly the questions that led us here.
For the last 4 years, we have posted daily quiz questions on social media for the cath lab, EP lab and cardiovascular world. Some were quick knowledge checks. Many turned into thoughtful conversations.
But not everyone has social media. And not everyone wants to study by scrolling!
So, we wanted to build another way for people to participate in those daily knowledge checks, on their own time, from their phone or tablet.
THE ORIGIN STORY
The idea for the apps came from the daily quizzes we have shared online for years.
The goal was never to make people feel bad for not knowing something. The goal was to give people a quick, realistic way to pause and think: “Do I actually understand this?”. Or maybe learn something completely new about a device their lab does not use often.
Because in the cath lab and EP lab, so much of what we learn happens in the middle of a case. Someone yells for a device, a rhythm changes, a physician asks for something, and you are expected to connect the dots quickly.
That type of learning is hard to recreate - but you guys found the daily questions helped!
A good question can make you stop and think through the why. A good explanation can help you connect the answer back to real lab life. And a little bit of practice every day adds up!
WHY AN APP?
We wanted something easy, approachable. Not a giant course. Not something you had to sit down for 2 hours to use.
Just a place where you could open your phone or tablet and do a few questions when you had time.
Before work. After work. On lunch. Whenever you are available. While studying for the RCIS. While orienting to the lab. While trying to refresh concepts you learned years ago but have not touched in a while.
The app was created for the person who wants to test themselves a little bit every day without feeling like they need to commit to a full study session every time. This is why you have choices!
- Daily question of the day
- 10 minute quiz
- 40 minute quiz
- Full 2 hour mock exam
WHY DETAILED EXPLANATIONS MATTER
There is nothing worse than taking a quiz and never knowing why something was right or wrong. So many of you message me questions from other apps so that I can provide an explanation! And I would – because I know that really bothers me when I take a quiz.
You click an answer. It says incorrect. And then… that’s it. No explanation. No teaching. No “here is why this answer makes sense.” No “here is why the other option is not the best answer.” That does not help people learn.
We wanted the apps to include explanations where they are needed because the explanation is the real lesson.
The goal is not just to memorize an answer. The goal is to understand the concept well enough that when you see it in the lab, it makes sense.
WHY REVISIT QUESTIONS?
Another thing we wanted was the ability to come back to questions. To identify gaps of ‘hey – you might want to focus a little more on pharmacology’.
Social media is fast. A question is posted, people answer, maybe they see the explanation, and then it disappears into the feed.
With an app, the question does not disappear.You can revisit topics, see what you missed, focus on weaker areas. You can practice by category.
You can use it during orientation, exam prep, or just as a daily check-in with yourself. Sometimes you do not know what you forgot until a question brings it back up a few months later.
CATH LAB APP
The cath lab app was designed for those learning, working in, or studying the cardiac catheterization lab.
Topics include:
-Cardiac anatomy and physiology
- Hemodynamics
- Medications
- Patient care
- Devices: atherectomy, thrombectomy, lithotripsy, laser
- Imaging: angiography
- RCIS-style practice
- Case-based thinking
And the goal is to keep building. One time payment, and you have access to all new questions as they are added!
One of the biggest benefits of having an app is that education does not have to be frozen in time. As new devices, procedures and concepts become relevant, we can continue adding information.
The cath lab changes. The tools change. The way we explain things should be able to grow too!
EP LAB APP
The EP lab app was created with the same idea: a way to test yourself, review concepts, and get explanations that actually help.
EP can feel overwhelming because there are so many layers. We included topics like:
- Arrhythmia identification
- Intracardiacs
- Basic intervals
- Pacing maneuvers
- Ablation concepts: transseptal puncture, complications, anatomy locations
-Devices: radiofrequency, cryoablation and pulsed field ablation
- Watchman and Amulet
- Cardiac anatomy
- Devices: pacemakers, defibrillators, parameters and testing
- Patient care
- Mapping
- Troubleshooting
And sometimes the hardest part is not that the information is impossible. It is that no one breaks it down in a way that feels approachable.
The EP app gives you a way to keep touching the material without needing to open an entire textbook every time. A few questions a day can help keep the concepts active.
WHO ARE THESE APPS FOR?
These apps may be helpful for:
- New cath lab or EP lab staff
- Nurses, radiologic technologists, cardiovascular technologists, paramedics, respiratory therapists, nurse practitioners or sonographers entering the lab
- People studying for the RCES, RCIS, CI or other cardiovascular exams
- Preceptors looking for quick knowledge checks
- Experienced staff who want a refresher
Anyone who likes learning in small pieces
And honestly, anyone who wants to keep their brain engaged in the lab world.
You do not have to use it perfectly. You do not have to get every question right. You do not have to do 100 questions a day. The point is to make learning more accessible, approachable and less overwhelming.
Learning in small pieces – still counts!
WHERE CAN I DOWNLOAD THEM?
Apple/iOS
Android/Google
Written by Samantha Propper
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