Subspecialty Neurology Certification Now Available from National Board of Physicians and Surgeons 

The National Board of Physicians and Surgeons has announced that they will provide recertification credentialing to physicians for neurologic subspecialty certification granted by the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS). This includes autonomic disorders, behavioral neurology & neuropsychiatry, clinical neuromuscular pathology, geriatric neurology, headache medicine, neurocritical care, neuroimaging, and neuro-oncology. 

NBPAS President Paul Teirstein, MD, DNBPAS, FACC said, “NBPAS believes in the value of an initial certification examination after completing residency/fellowship and is committed to providing certification that ensures physician compliance with national standards and promotes lifelong learning."

Recertification by the NBPAS requires that a physician have an unrestricted license to practice (with active hospital privileges for certain specialties, such as surgery), an active medical staff appointment or membership, and 50 hours of CME credit completed every 2 years. NBPAS recertification needs to be renewed every 2 years, but has no requirements other than licensure, active practice, and CME credits. 

In addition to the UCNS subspecialities that NBPAS recertifies, recertification in neurology and neurologic subspecialties granted by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) are also available, including addiction psychiatry, brain injury medicine, child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical neurophysiology, consultation-liaison psychiatry (formerly psychosomatic medicine), epilepsy, forensic psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, hospice and palliative medicine, neurocritical care, neurodevelopmental disabilities, neuromuscular medicine, pain medicine, sleep medicine, and vascular neurology. 

“At a time when we are trying to grow subspecialties, such as headache medicine, it is fantastic that NBPAS will start recertifying Diplomates who may have otherwise decided to allow their certification to lapse,” said neurologist, headache specialist, and director of legislative affairs for NBPAS, Paul G. Mathew, MD, DNBPAS, FAAN, FAHS. Dr. Mathew adds, “A one-size-fits-all approach for learning does not work, and physicians should be able to re-certify based on CME that best suits their individual practice and interests.” Dr. Mathew is also co-chief medical editor for Practical Neurology.

The NBPAS has been recertifying physicians of all specialties and subspecialties who hold an initial certification from the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) since 2014. Legislation limiting the use of ABMS Maintenance of Certification (MOC) compliance for licensure and/or credentialing has passed in 13 states and is under review in many others. In addition, 136 health care institutions have independently decided to accept NBPAS for physician credentialing.