ABMS Neurocritical Care Multidisciplinary Subspecialty
The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) approved Neurocritical Care (NCC) as a subspecialty with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), American Board of Anesthesia (ABA), American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) and American Board of Neurosurgery (ABNS) and American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) as co-sponsors. This will allow the member boards to offer a certificate in the subspecialty of Neurocritical Care (NCC). The initial ABMS Neurocritical care examination was administered by the ABPN in October of 2021, and the second will take place in October of 2022. More information can be obtained through the ABPN website or by contacting the relevant ABMS member boards that co-sponsor the exam. Currently physicians may qualify to take the exam via the practice pathway; however this option will no longer be available after 2026.
While the ABMS member boards handle NCC certification for board-eligible physicians, fellowship credentialing will be overseen by ACGME. This newly approved NCC subspecialty by ABMS and ACGME will allow for uniformity in the training and skill sets of neurointensivists from various primary specialties. The United Council of Neurological Subspecialties (UCNS) will continue to certify physicians and accredit fellowships as well. Similarly, the Committee on Advanced Subspecialty Training (CAST), part of the Society of Neurological Surgeons, continues to accredit neurocritical care fellowships; graduates are eligible to apply for Recognition of Focused Practice (RFP) through the American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS).
The NCS would like to congratulate those fellowship programs that have been granted accreditation, which are listed on the ACGME website.
CAST link: https://sns-cast.org/
ABNS RFP link: https://abns.org/rfp-neurocritical-care/
Neurocritical Care Training Program Achieves UCNS Accreditation
Congratulations to the newest Neurocritical Care fellowship training program to earn accreditation states from the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS). Programs attaining UCNS accreditation status offer the core curriculum established by the subspecialty and meets required quality standards established by UCNS.
Accreditation is a voluntary process of evaluation and peer review based on the UCNS accreditation standards. Fellows who complete a UCNS-accredited program meet the training eligibility requirements to apply for certification in Neurocritical Care. There are now 75 UCNS-accredited Neurocritical Care training programs across the United States and Canada and 223 total UCNS-accredited training programs in the nine UCNS-recognized neurologic subspecialties. UCNS congratulates the following program and their program directors in achieving UCNS accreditation effective December 1,2021. UCNS accreditation applications are accepted throughout the year with June 1, 2022, being the next deadline for applications that will be reviewed in the fall of 2022. Additional information is available at https://www.ucns.org//accreditation.
Neurocritical Care Program Program Director
Albany Medical Center Tamer Abdelhak, MD
Frequently Asked Questions
Download the NCS FAQ here.
Download the UCNS FAQ here.
UCNS Certification Examination is now open. Learn more here.
UCNS Expands Certification Eligibility to Doctors of Osteopathy. Read the press release here.
View the UCNS Examination Committee Job Description here.
View the UCNS Non-Voting Board Member Job Description here.
Submit journal articles for continuous certification (C-cert) reading list consideration here
AGCME program requirements can be viewed here.
Call for Comments - ABMS Draft Standards for Continuing Certification
ABMS has announced its call for comment for the draft Standards for Board Continuing Certification. This is the opportunity for professional societies to provide feedback. The proposed changes include:
- CC cycle shortened to 5 years.
- Requirement for additional measures of diplomate professionalism.
- Requirement for diplomates to be involved in QI activities with a goal of “improving health and health care”.
Download the press release for full details and visit abpn.com for more information.