As part of our commitment to you, our Diplomates, the ABNS is excited to share that by paying 2023 dues you will be provided FREE access to the 2023 General and Emergency annual learning tool without CME (part of the annual CC program). As a non-profit organization, the ABNS operates on a budget-neutral basis relying on payment of annual dues to maintain and strengthen operations in support of our mission.
ABS Research Links Initial Certification with Fewer Disciplinary Actions A new study adds to the growing literature demonstrating the association between board certification by an ABMS Member Board and higher quality, safer care, which supports the public trust in certification by a Member Board. In a retrospective analysis recently published in JAMA Surgery, the authors studied severe license action rates for 44,290 surgeons who attempted to become certified by the American Board of Surgery between 1976 and 2017. Results showed that the incidence of severe license actions, which was obtained from the Federation of State Medical Boards, was significantly greater for surgeons who attempted and failed to obtain certification than surgeons who were certified. The authors concluded that obtaining board certification is associated with a lower rate of receiving severe license actions from a state medical board in this study published ahead of print on March 18. Passing examinations in the certification exam process on the first attempt also was associated with lower severe license action rates. The authors noted that this study provides supporting evidence that board certification can be viewed as a marker of surgeon quality and professionalism. View the study entitled Association Between American Board of Surgery Initial Certification and Risk of Receiving Severe Disciplinary Actions Against Medical Licenses (subscription required). In a commentary on the study, the authors note that the ability to use the board exam to detect surgeons at risk for severe disciplinary action provides an exciting potential mechanism for using targeted preventive measures…
The ABNS is focused on driving out bias; conscious or not. The articles below are required reading for anyone who volunteers for the ABNS. Implicit Bias in Healthcare Not So Subtle
A detailed knowledge of neuroanatomy is a requirement for becoming an excellent neurosurgeon. In an effort to promote knowledge of neuroanatomy, the ABNS has decided to create a curriculum and a neuroanatomy examination. The curriculum will be provided to the new PGY1 residents at the start of residency. The Neuroanatomy Exam will then be given a year later in July of the PGY2 year. This neuroanatomy exam will supplement the ABNS Primary Exam which is generally taken later on in residency. The neuroanatomy exam will be different from the ABNS primary exam. The test can only be failed if it is not completed. The test will consist of 100 “mostly fill in the blank” neuroanatomy questions. The first time the resident takes this exam, the percent correct will be reported to the resident, as well as to their residency program director. The resident will learn which questions they answered incorrectly. After a “lock out” period of 1 week to allow for study of the questions missed, the resident will log back into the exam at a time of their choosing and answer questions similar to, but not identical, to the questions they got wrong the first time. After the second test, the resident will again be informed which questions they answered incorrectly, be locked out for a week, and then be expected to log back in to answer the incorrect questions again. The resident will have up to a total of 4 attempts to get every question correct. The Program…
The ABNS believes that the culmination of neurosurgery residency training is chief residency (PG-6 or 7), during which the resident evolves during that 12-month experience into an independent and safe neurosurgeon (Milestones 4). Fellowship is advanced clinical training (Milestones 5) in which subspecialty expertise is developed based on the experiential platform of residency training commencing as a PG-1 resident through chief residency. Commencing on July 1, 2021, the ABNS will only recognize enfolded fellowships completed in the PG-7 year after chief residency in the PG-6 year, two exceptions apply. See below: Enfolded fellowships in neurocritical care may be taken prior to the trainee’s chief resident year CNS endovascular training requires an initial training experience in the performance of angiography. This training period may occur prior to the chief resident year. The second year of CNS endovascular interventional training, as of July 1, 2021, must occur after the chief resident year, thus PG-7 For avoidance of doubt, the ABNS does not require fellowships (enfolded or otherwise) as a requirement for initial ABNS certification. A fellowship may be required for neurosurgeons who wish to achieve an ABMS “Focused Practice Designation” in certain areas of neurological surgery practice.
“The new MOC/CC test is a VAST improvement over what it was previously! A major high-five to whoever realized that at this point in our careers, one does not need to necessarily calculate the acid gap in an ICU patient nor remember every esoteric muscular dystrophy to take good care of patients. If you have not had a chance to look it over, it is now based on Level 1 evidence data and recent randomized clinical studies. Please extend my thanks to whoever had the good sense to finally fix this!!!
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