Following residency training in a training program approved by the ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education), the neurological surgeon may seek certification in the practice of neurosurgery through the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS). This credential signals a special level of commitment to, and expertise in, the neurosurgical specialty. Certification by the Board is based upon approval of an applicant’s educational and training qualifications, a review of the physician’s professional practice - including opinions of his or her colleagues, and the passage of written and oral examinations.

The certification process includes a thorough assessment of the neurosurgeon’s skill, judgment and depth of knowledge. During their training program, candidates sit for a comprehensive written primary examination sponsored by the ABNS. Following training, the neurosurgeon submits a list to the ABNS of patients for whom he or she was the responsible physician during a period of at least 12 consecutive months. The candidate must also submit three professional references. Candidates for certification must be scheduled for oral examination within five years of completing training or passing the primary examination, whichever is later.

Finally, the candidate sits for a three-hour oral examination that covers the diagnosis and management of surgical and medical diseases of the nervous system. Upon successful completion of these steps, the neurosurgeon becomes Board Certified in the practice of neurological surgery. All Active members of the AANS must be board certified, most hospitals require board certification.

• What is Neurosurgery?
• What is Physiatry?
• What kinds of disorders do neurological surgeons treat?
• How are neurosurgeons trained?
• Tools and Techniques