Recertification and The American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery
ABPNS Recommends Four-Point Process

Michael Scott, MD

The certificate that is issued by the American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery (ABPNS) carries a 10-year expiration date. Like the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS), the ABPNS has been studying an appropriate way to carry out recertification of its diplomates. We know that our diplomates are burdened with paperwork to maintain credentials in a wide variety of areas, including state licensure and hospital privileges, and that a complex recertification mechanism for the ABNS is shortly going to come online.

Nevertheless, all of the ABPNS directors feel that recertification should be a meaningful process signifying that the diplomate is maintaining an active, ongoing practice dedicated to pediatric neurosurgery and is continuing a self-education process in the subspecialty. At its December meeting, the ABPNS proposed a four-point process modeled on the American Board of Medical Specialties' recommendations for the recertification process:

1. Candidates for recertification should demonstrate satisfactory credentials to practice medicine in the state of licensure, unrestricted hospital privileges in the hospital(s) in which they are currently practicing, and current valid certification by the ABNS.
   
   
2. Candidates should provide evidence of continued learning and self-assessment by demonstrating that they have obtained 90 hours of continuing medical education credit in neurosurgery over the three years preceding application for recertification, listing specific educational activities related to the practice of pediatric neurosurgery. These credits can include relevant hospital and regional conferences, lectures given, papers presented, manuscripts published, participation in courses and seminars, etc.
   
   
3. Candidates will be required to submit a consecutive case log of all major operative procedures performed during the calendar year immediately prior to the recertification application. A simplified format for the submission of this data will be provided by the ABPNS. The case log will be utilized to confirm that the diplomate's practice continues to center on pediatric neurosurgery. This requirement can be met by one of the following three options: 1) 125 major cases performed in children less than 12 years of age; 2) 75 percent of all major cases were carried out in patient less than 21 years of age; or 3) at least 75 percent of all patients operated upon were for procedures typically considered "pediatric," including surgery for hydrocephalus, tethered cord, Chiari malformations, or other congenital lesions. A candidate for recertification who is not actively involved in clinical practice, but who may be carrying out full-time research or administration should provide a written description of current activities for submission to the ABPNS.
   
   
4. Candidates for recertification will take a written, proctored examination that will cover clinical issues commonly seen in the practice of pediatric neurological surgery.

Candidates will have two full years to complete the recertification process, which can be initiated in the calendar year prior to the expiration of the certificate. The ABPNS secretary will notify each diplomate three months in advance that the recertification period is about to begin. Fees will be charged for the initiation of the application process ($250) and for the taking of the examination ($500). The examination will be offered following the completion of data submission as described above, with the examination to be given at several meeting sites per year.

The ABPNS is committed to making the recertification process as straightforward as possible for the recertification candidates, while at the same time ensuring that the process itself is a meaningful one and has significance to our patients and their families. Comments or concerns about any aspect of the recertification process can be directed to any member of the ABPNS, and we will do our best to evaluate and consider all input that is received.

I especially want to thank Thomas Luerssen, MD, and his recertification committee of Leland Albright, MD, and Andy Parent, MD, for their work on this formulation of the recertification process.

The members of the ABPNS are: R. Michael Scott, MD, chairman; W. Jerry Oakes, MD, vice chairman; T.S. Park, MD, secretary-treasurer; and I. Richmond Abbott, MD, Leland Albright, MD, Jean Pierre Farmer, MD, Thomas Luerssen, MD, Andrew Parent, MD, Robert A. Sanford, MD, and Leslie Sutton, MD.