ISE/OKAT Overview and FAQ

General Information

What is the In-Service Exam (ISE)? ＋ －
The ISE is a computerized, multiple-choice examination sponsored by the AUA 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.
What is the Oncology Knowledge Assessment Test (OKAT)? ＋ －
The OKAT is a computerized, multiple-choice examination sponsored by the AUA to assist uro-oncology fellowship 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.
What date/time are the exams? ＋ －
The exam is hosted annually on the third Saturday in November. The 2026 exams will take place on Saturday, November 21, 2026.

At this time, there will not be a second test date offered for the exam.

Each program determines their start time. As a guideline, the exam should be started after 7 a.m. and completed by midnight in your time zone. For examinees observing the sabbath, programs may elect to host an after sundown exam session. Please contact iseokat@auanet.org to notify us of any sundown exams so we can ensure adequate staffing.
Is the In-Service Exam mandatory? ＋ －
No. The ISE is an educational tool offered by the American Urological Association (AUA) to assist residency programs with objective knowledge assessment for residents in training.

Exam Registration

When is exam registration? ＋ －
Registration for the 2026 exams will open in early September. Registration instructions will be emailed directly to programs. Please note that residents and fellows do not register themselves. All program registration will go through the examinee's program.
What is the fee for the ISE? ＋ －
The registration for the 2026 ISE is $190. More information regarding payment can be found on the registration portal.
How do I make changes to registration? ＋ －
Registration cannot be edited on the portal once it is finalized. For any changes or cancellations, please contact iseokat@auanet.org.

Exam Administration

Where is the ISE taken? ＋ －
Each program will need to determine their venue for the exam. You may use different options to structure the exam according to the needs of your program, such as: one session/time slot in one room, one session/time slot in multiple rooms, two sessions/time slots in one room, two sessions/time slots in multiple rooms. The number of acceptable examinees per room is dependent to each location and will be left to the sole discretion of the host program.The AUA does not offer the ISE at outside testing centers like a Pearson facility.
Where is the OKAT taken? ＋ －
As in previous years, some programs may be hosting individuals taking the Oncology Knowledge Assessment Test (OKAT). Guest OKAT and ISE participants are responsible for contacting their host program site for testing arrangements, including start time, location, and method of testing (i.e., if they need to bring a laptop). Programs will be responsible for making accommodations for these individuals. Programs with an accredited fellowship program should contact their residency program director regarding testing arrangements.
Can a resident take the exam at another program? ＋ －
Participants wishing to take the exam at a site other than the one they have been assigned must receive approval from their residency program and the visiting program, and must complete a Site Change Form. Site Change Forms will be available when registration opens in September, and can be requested from iseokat@auanet.org.
How long are the exams? What if a resident needs a time accomodation? ＋ －
The ISE is allotted 4 hours for completion and the OKAT is allotted 3 hours. For residents needing additional time, please email iseokat@auanet.org for more information on exam accommodations.
Can the exam be offered remotely? ＋ －
There are no remote options for the examinations and all exams must be fully in-person. Please note IP Addresses are recorded and reviewed following the examinations. Failure by any program to administer the exams in a secure environment onsite will be subject to sanctions.
What devices are needed to adminster the exam? ＋ －
Personal laptop computers may be brought onsite and used if a program doesn’t have enough desktops. It will be necessary to perform a system check and browser download on each computer used at least one week before the examination regardless of the venue selected. The secure browser is not supported through tablets or iPads.

What software/downloads are needed for the exam? ＋ －
System requirements and browser download information will be provided to programs prior to the exam date.

Examinees are required to download the AUA Secure Browser. Mac and Windows Secure Browsers are standalone executables about 2-4 MB in size (in other words, they don’t need to be installed). They can be run from any location on the device. It doesn’t transfer any information from the local computer, and is only used while an examinee is taking the exam. The Secure Browser prevents examinees from accessing web sites and other applications while taking the exam. When launched, the Secure Browser opens a full screen and will not allow examinees to leave the testing system without completely exiting the secure browser. After completing the exam, examinees can simply delete the secure browser executable (.exe) file from their computer.

Exam Proctors

What is the primary objective of the proctor? ＋ －
The objective of a proctor is to maintain control and secure the test taking experience. This includes preventing the duplication of the exam by the examinees. 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.
How many proctors are required? ＋ －
To ensure the integrity of the examination, the AUA requires at least one designated proctor per room, plus one additional as backup. Programs that elect to administer the exams in two sessions or multiple rooms, will need proctors to be scheduled in each session and room accordingly.

If more than three proctors are needed, please contact iseokat@auanet.org.
Who can be a proctor? ＋ －
Faculty, administrators, program coordinators, and office personnel can be proctors.
Can the exam be proctored virtually? ＋ －
All exams must be proctored in-person, there is no option for virtual proctoring. Please note IP Addresses are recorded and reviewed following the examinations. Failure by any program to administer the exams in a secure environment onsite will be subject to sanctions.
How do I assign/change proctors? ＋ －
All Proctor designations can be made on the registration site; please contact iseokat@auanet.org for proctor changes after the close of registration.
How do proctors access the system on exam day? ＋ －
Only designated proctors have access to the software and receive instructions for exam day. Any changes to Proctor Designations and/or Proctor email addresses must be reported to the AUA as soon as possible. New proctor information will need to be entered into the software before the examinations can be administered. Proctors will receive an email in November with instructions how to access and prepare examination day materials including the examinee roster, examinee instructions, and computer station set-up.

Additional questions? Contact us at iseokat@auanet.org!