EKG Compass
Chenna Tera, MBBS
Creator of EKG Compass

Chenna Tera, MBBS

Internal Medicine Resident  ·  ETSU Health
Former Cardiology Research Fellow, Mayo Clinic Arizona  ·  Cardiology Fellowship Applicant
EKGcompass1@gmail.com

"Read any ECG with a system — not a guess."

The mission behind EKG Compass
Background
Education
MBBS
Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, India
Research Training
Cardiology Research Fellow
Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale AZ
Current Training
Internal Medicine Resident
ETSU Health, Johnson City TN
Next Step
Cardiology Fellowship
Applicant — 2026 match cycle
The origin story

Why I built this

Honestly, I built this because I needed it. As an IMG navigating residency, the ECG was one of those things I always felt a little behind on — not because I didn't study, but because I hadn't found a way to truly internalize it. I'd read the tracing, second-guess myself, and look to an attending to confirm what I already suspected. I wanted to change that.

So between calls, on weekends, during quiet overnight stretches — I started putting something together for myself. A step-by-step method I could actually follow at 3am. An animated visualizer, because seeing Wenckebach move beat by beat finally made it click in a way that reading never had. Cases with real patient context, because that's how I learn best.

I'm deeply grateful to every co-resident, attending, and medical student who tried an early version and gave honest feedback. This tool exists because of their patience and generosity. I still have so much to learn — in medicine and in building — and EKG Compass is very much a work in progress. But if it helps even one learner feel a little more confident reading a 12-lead, that's more than enough.

Who this is for

Built for every stage of training

🎓
Medical Students
Systematic 10-step method, animated rhythm engine, beginner-to-USMLE tracks. Learn the framework before clerkship starts.
🩺
IM Residents
110 ABIM-style cases with 3-step arcs, spaced repetition, and board-aligned teaching. Your ECG co-pilot on overnight call.
❤️
Cardiology Fellows
Advanced cases: Sgarbossa, Brugada, de Winter, ARVC, concordance criteria. CardioBoard-aligned content in development.
💊
NPs, PAs & Nurses
Pattern library, drug effects, electrolyte changes, ACLS algorithms — practical, bedside-ready reference.
My approach

What I believe about learning ECGs

1
Systems beat shortcuts
Memorizing "peaked T waves = hyperkalemia" will fail you at 3am. A system — rate, rhythm, intervals, axis, ischemia — will not. That's why every Interpret session walks through all 10 steps, every time.
2
You have to see it move
A static strip of Wenckebach looks confusing. Watching the PR stretch beat by beat until one drops — that's unforgettable. Animated rhythm visualization isn't a gimmick; it's how the brain actually learns conduction.
3
Context is everything
An ECG finding without a clinical story is just a pattern. Every case gives you the patient — age, vitals, chief complaint — before you see the tracing. Because that's how real medicine works.
4
It should be free to learn
I'm not a company. I'm a resident who had a problem and built a tool. Everything here is free — no paywalls on the core content. If it helps you read a 12-lead more confidently, that's the whole point.
For educators & programs

Interested in using EKG Compass with your students?

EKG Compass is designed to complement — not replace — formal ECG teaching. If you're a clerkship director, residency program director, or medical school faculty member exploring tools for your curriculum, I'd genuinely like to hear from you.

Access is completely free — no cost to you, no cost to your students. I'm open to pilot partnerships where we can track whether this improves ECG confidence and accuracy among your learners.

Contact for curriculum access →
Roadmap

Currently building

110 clinical cases live Expanding to 150+
Guideline citations per case ACC/AHA links in teaching sections
MS3 beginner track Clerkship-ready curriculum path
Program dashboards Cohort progress for directors
Peer-reviewed publication Med ed outcomes data
In progress
Planned
Longer term
Vision

Where this is going

The goal is ambitious: make EKG Compass a standard part of medical education — something a third-year student opens before their first cardiology rotation, and a chief resident recommends to every incoming intern. Not a supplement to a textbook, but a living curriculum that teaches systematic thinking and keeps up with guidelines.

In the near term: 150+ cases, guideline citations in every teaching section, and a beginner track built specifically for MS3s entering their medicine clerkship. Longer term: instructor dashboards, pilot data on learning outcomes, and eventually a peer-reviewed publication so this work enters the academic literature.

It's a one-person project, built in the margins of residency. New content comes out when I have time to get it right. If you're an educator, a program director, or just someone with ideas — I'd genuinely love to hear from you.

Get in touch

Did EKG Compass help you?

If a case clicked, a rhythm finally made sense, or you just want to share how you're using it — I'd genuinely love to hear from you. Real feedback from real learners is what shapes what gets built next.

Send feedback →
EKGcompass1@gmail.com  ·  I read every message
Content accuracy
Cases and reference content are written and reviewed by the creator based on ACC/AHA guidelines and standard cardiology texts. EKG Compass is an educational tool — it is not a substitute for clinical judgment, attending supervision, or official guidelines. Always verify findings in clinical practice.
Institutional disclaimer
EKG Compass is a personal project created and maintained solely by Chenna Tera in a personal capacity. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or representative of Mayo Clinic, ETSU Health, East Tennessee State University, or any other institution, hospital, or organization. All views, content, and educational material are the creator's own.
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