Creating a New Set of Milestones for the Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship

Abstract

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

Education Research: Evaluation of Epilepsy Surgery Education in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Programs

“…The updated goals should serve as a guide for program directors when assessing the competency of the Epilepsy and CNP fellows. Similarly, there is a need to update the current CNP guidelines 10 and specify the competencies a fellow must achieve in regards to the surgical management of patients with epilepsy.…”

“…9 Similarly, the ACGME clinical neurophysiology (CNP) milestones indicate that a CNP fellow must demonstrate detailed knowledge of advanced treatment options for medically refractory epilepsy. 10 Prior studies have shown deficiencies and lack of consistency in the education of neurology residents to achieve the required milestones for EEG interpretation. 11,12 Notably, there is scarce literature assessing the quality of surgical education in epilepsy and CNP trainees.…”

Assessment of clinical skills in electrodiagnostic medicine

“…One of the challenges of assessing competency in EDx is the diversity of experiences and requirements of learners, including physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) residents, adult and child neurology residents, neuromuscular medicine fellows, and clinical neurophysiology fellows. Standards for training are set by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the medical board organizations that certify candidates in each of these fields, but the program requirements and milestones needed for different competency domains vary across disciplines 1–4 . For instance, the ACGME adult neurology program requirements do not even mention EDx and have no procedural minimums 1 .…”

“…The ACMGE program requirements for PM&R, however, mandate participation in a minimum of 200 EDx evaluations, and the PM&R milestones include performing, documenting, and interpreting EDx studies 2 . Clinical neurophysiology and neuromuscular medicine fellowships require familiarity with uncommon studies that assess cranial nerve function, neuromuscular junction function, and late responses 3,4 …”

“…2 Clinical neurophysiology and neuromuscular medicine fellowships require familiarity with uncommon studies that assess cranial nerve function, neuromuscular junction function, and late responses. 3,4 The educational needs of trainees are determined not only by the requirements set out by the ACGME, but by the content that trainees are expected to master for their respective board certification examinations. Certifications in neurology, child neurology, clinical neurophysiology, and neuromuscular medicine are through the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), whereas certification for PM&R is through the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR).…”