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Examiner Training Programs

Risk Management Training Program - Financial Institution Analysis School

Program Overview

FIAS is a core training curriculum for all pre-commissioned bank examiners. FIAS is designed to help you develop your ability to analyze the financial condition of institutions and to present your conclusions in an appropriate manner. In FIAS, you'll expand upon your current experience as you continue to analyze more complex bank data, learn how to assess the financial risk of an institution, and explore the interrelationships between the CAMELS components. You will use critical thinking to reach conclusions and support them through your written comments, outlines and oral presentations.

Skills Taught

By the end of this course, students will have been taught how to:

  • Analyze the UBPR, IRRSAs, and other onsite bank information to identify concerns.
  • Assess how a financial institution’s balance sheet structure impacts its risk profile and performance.
  • Use critical thinking to identify key issues, develop well supported conclusions, and assign appropriate ratings.
  • Determine the interrelationships of the CAMELS components and how they impact each other.
  • Develop and present supervisory recommendations.
  • Present and support examination findings both through written comments, detailed outlines, and oral presentations.

Duration and Format

This course contains:

  • 64 total hours of Pre-course Work
    • Independent Study – 40 hours
    • Prelude Bank debrief video – 2 hours
    • My Turn Bank Offsite Analysis – 21 hours
    • Web-based training on Supervisory Recommendations – 1 hour
  • 2-week Facilitated classroom discussions/lectures
    • Small group activities
    • In-class discussions

Level and Credits

Basic
Continuing Education Unit (CEU): 6.6
Continuing Professional Education Unit (CPE): 78.5

Target Audience

This course is designed for pre-commissioned examiners with generally between 8 and 10 months of risk management bank examination experience. There should be a minimum of five months after attending Introduction to Examinations School. This course is open to appropriate staff of the FDIC and partner government regulatory agencies. This course is not open to the public or staff of private banks.

Prerequisites

Prior to attending the course, participants must have completed and have a working knowledge of the following:

  • Completed Risk Management Orientation – (FDIC only)
  • Completed the Introduction to Examinations School
  • Completed the Independent Study
  • Watched Prelude Bank debrief
  • Completed an off-site analysis for My Turn Bank
  • Completed the Supervisory Recommendations and MRBA web-based training

Pre-Course Assignment

The items below constitute the pre-course assignment.  The off-site analysis for My Turn Bank pre-course assignment should be completed one week prior to class.  The exact date the work is due for any given session is specified in the pre-course information sent approximately two months prior to the start date.  Prior to attending the workshop, participants are required to complete the following pre-course assignments:

  • Independent Study
  • Prelude Bank Debrief
  • Off-site portion of My Turn Bank
  • Supervisory Recommendations
NOTE: RMS has authorized up to 64 hours of official time to complete the entire pre-course assignment.

Post Course Recommendation and Feedback

Participants should continue to review and assess Earnings and Capital and review Liquidity and Sensitivity to Market Risk to help prepare for their next school, Asset Liability Management School.

A Participant Summary Form (PSF) of the participant's experience during the course is submitted to each participant's field supervisor or State Banking Authority training contact approximately 30 days after the conclusion of the school.

Key Topics

  • Asset Quality
    • Participants learn to take the results of an asset quality review performed by more experienced examiners and review ratios, exam findings, and other measurements to analyze the bank’s asset quality component and its effect on the other financial components.
  • Earnings
    • Participants are provided with the earnings analysis trail. Participants review core and non-core earnings elements, underfunded ACL, nonrecurring items, and recalculate the ROA. Using the in-class case study, participants review and analyze earnings, assign a rating and support the rating in Report of Examination, Examiner Comments and Conclusions comment format.
  • Adversely Classified Coverage Ratio
    • Participants review the Examination Data Ratios (EDR) page and discuss elements of EDR, including severity of classifications, volume and trend.
  • Liquidity
    • Using the in-class case study, participants review and analyze a bank’s liquidity, assign a rating and support the assigned rating in a detailed outline. As part of a group, student’s then present their findings to their small group facilitator.
  • Sensitivity to Market Risk
    • Participants are introduced to common types of interest rate risk, and to interest rate risk models. Participants analyze model outputs and assess the level of risk on a bank’s balance sheet. Participants also review management’s policy and procedures. Using the in-class case study, participants review and analyze a bank’s interest rate risk exposure and support the assigned rating in a detailed outline. As part of a group, student’s then present their findings to their small group facilitator.
  • Capital
    • Using the in-class case study, participants review and analyze capital, assign a rating and support the rating in Report of Examination, Examiner Comments and Conclusions comment format.
  • Management
    • Participants are introduced to the Management Component. In a group discussion, participants assign a Management and Composite rating for the in-class case study.
  • Culmination case study
    • Participants assign and defend ratings in a final case study.

More Information

CPE Credit logo
For information regarding administrative policies such as complaints and refunds, please contact Corporate University, Attn: NASBA Representative Ava Livas, Room A-3025, 3501 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22226 (703) 562-2463.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: NASBARegistry.org

IACET logo
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) (www.iacet.org). The FDIC complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, the FDIC is accredited to issue the IACET CEU.

For more information concerning course content and administration, please contact Dan Hotz.

Last Updated: June 10, 2024