Member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties

CC Program Participation

To participate in the CC program, neurosurgeons must hold an ABNS certificate, a valid unrestricted license to practice medicine in the states where they practice and unrestricted hospital privileges. All diplomates certified in 1999 or later have been awarded 10-year time-limited certificates. Individuals holding a time-limited certification must enroll in CC the year after being certified to maintain certification. Non time-limited certificate holders may voluntarily begin their participation in the program at any time and are highly encouraged to do so.

CC consists of yearly requirements during the 10-year certification timeframe. These requirements are independently fulfilled. A new time-limited certification is awarded to diplomates at the end of the 10th year after successfully completing all annual CC requirements, including paying annual dues.

A Diplomate with a time-limited Certificate will immediately lose his or her Certified status upon failing to timely complete all annual CC requirements more than two years in any 10-year Certification period, or upon failing to timely complete all annual CC requirements in any two consecutive years, or upon failing to complete all delinquent CC requirements for any year during the one-year grace period

Progress can be tracked by logging in at MyABNS 

  • Time-limited certificates:

To maintain 10-year time-limited certificates, diplomates must participate in CC. The 10-year CC cycle begins the January following certification. Individuals who have not completed all aspects of CC at the end of their 10-year cycle may not receive a new certificate. If that does occur, there is a process for reenstatement.

All individuals who have been issued a recognition of focused practice (RFP)from the ABNS, must participate in CC annually.

  • Full participation in primary board certification MOC/CC requirements
  • Annually complete the ABNS learning tool specific to the RFP held

*All ABPNS certifications are time-limited.

  • Non time-limited certificates:

These were issued to ABNS diplomates certified prior to 1999. They're valid for the life of the individual and won’t expire regardless of participation in CC. Diplomates in this group are urged to participate in CC. Once enrolled, they complete the same requirements as participants with time-limited certificates.  Those who voluntarily participate in CC will not lose their certificate if they drop out of the CC process. To voluntarily sign up for CC, please send an email request to abns.cc@abns.org