As neurosurgeons, continuous improvement is essential to our growth. Self-reflection and self-improvement are core tenets instilled in us throughout training. During residency, this is built into our education, with discussions of quality, service and opportunities for improvement at the forefront.
But what about after residency? As we transition, we continue to refine what we do and how we practice, often adding new techniques to our repertoires. Residency and fellowship provide the framework to continue to grow, but the educational environment of practice may differ drastically depending on the practice setting. As of 2020, more than 50% of board-eligible candidates reported being in a non-academic practice setting.
To this end, the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS) fosters excellence in patient care and supports our evolution in practice while maintaining high professional standards. The mission of the ABNS is to encourage the study, improve the practice, elevate the standards and advance the science of neurological surgery, thereby serving the cause of public health. There are three main areas where the ABNS continues to evolve to meet the needs of the field: primary examination, oral examination and continuous certification.
- Primary examination. The ABNS continues to work towards evolving the primary exam to a mastery exam with clinically relevant questions that reflect current basic knowledge. In 2019, the neuroanatomy “mastery” module was introduced. Residents have four attempts to master the material, which is available for advance study. In the spirit of self-evaluation, residents and program directors are being surveyed for feedback to the ABNS about this module, and the ABNS is planning to closely follow primary examination anatomy scores for impact, with the anticipation that this module will help drive learning.
As of fall 2022, there were 118 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited programs and 1,629 neurosurgery residents. In March 2023, a record 887 residents took the primary exam, of whom 249 took it for credit and the remainder were for self-evaluation. Question stems are released each year to support studying. The passing score (72% in 2023) is slowly increasing, and the ABNS directors and the National Board of Medical Examiners are completing more frequent standard setting for the exam.
- ABNS Practice and Outcomes of Surgical Therapies (POST) and the Oral Examination. ABNS POST continues to evolve in response to current needs and feedback about the process. Current graduates now register and enter 10 cases into POST within the first six months of graduation for the ABNS to provide feedback and help track the transition to practice.
In response to the global pandemic, the oral examination changed to a virtual format for candidates. This was very well received and will continue with guest examiners traveling to pre-exam enrichment activities and conducting exams virtually. The ABNS surveys candidates and examiners for feedback about the exam process. In May 2023, 58% of candidates responded, of whom over 99% felt the application and registration process were clear and transparent, 98% felt the pre-exam session and materials were helpful, and 100% felt the exam was conducted professionally.
One candidate said, “The ABNS staff — along with the entire board certification application process — has been remarkably efficient, clear and professional. It is reassuring to see this kind of professionalism from the board, which represents our field. Overall, it was more impressive than I expected, and the level of professionalism of the staff and examiners made me proud to be in the field. Great work to the team(s) that put this together and make it possible.” Other suggestions for clarification and improvement are reviewed to help improve the oral examination process.
- Continuous certification. Formerly known as maintenance of certification, the ABNS uses continuous certification to help assist diplomates in lifelong learning and self-assessment by encouraging, stimulating and supporting continued education in the practice of neurosurgery. Professionalism and participation in quality improvement are also assessed. The program is designed to allow diplomates to meet requirements, comply with state and hospital regulations, and reassure patients, families, payers, funding agencies and the public that ABNS diplomates continually improve their knowledge and practice in core neurosurgery. The ABNS has strongly advocated for continued learning instead of a high-stakes exam to better support the specialty’s needs.
Neurosurgeons continue to evolve and adapt to changes in our field, health care and the needs of our patients. Continuous improvement, self-reflection and self-improvement are essential. The ABNS aims to serve the cause of public health by our mission and values and by continually improving how we serve the field and our patients.
Editor’s Note: We hope you will share what you learn from our posts in the Making and Maintaining a Neurosurgeon series. We invite you to join the conversation on Twitter by following @Neurosurgery and using the hashtag #Neurosurgery.
Marjorie Wang, MD, MPH, FAANS
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wis.
Across the country, many non-urgent surgeries were canceled or delayed due to COVID-19. Overlapping surgery is the practice of a surgeon being responsible for more than one operating room at a time with non-critical portions of the procedure overlapping. When properly and ethically integrated, Drs. Menger and DiGiorgio use overlapping surgery in neurosurgery to better use health care resources and improve access to care.
women have played critical roles throughout the development of the specialty. The role of women in neurosurgery began with 
specific to women became evident. Eventually, the 
goals of the section — to educate, inspire and encourage women neurosurgeons to realize their professional and personal goals. WINS also serves women in neurosurgery by addressing the issues inherent to training, and maintaining a diverse and balanced workforce is the mission of this section.
We will give voice to women from across the spectrum of our profession, from students on the cusp of embarking on this tremendously rewarding personal and professional journey, to women who have dedicated most of the adult lives to advancing the art and science of the specialty. Neurosurgery is not alone in that when given a choice, we should choose and foster diversity, and the long and successful history of WINS is a testament to that. We invite our readers to participate actively and share their own stories of progress and breakthrough.
