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Abstract
Objective To describe the development and current status of training and certification in clinical neurophysiology (CNP); to explore the impact of the newer subspecialties in sleep medicine, neuromuscular medicine, and epilepsy; and to obtain information about aspects of practice in the subspecialty.
Methods Information about training programs and certification was obtained from the records of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, and diplomates were surveyed about their CNP practice activities and attitudes toward certification/recertification.
Results In the years since the first examination was administered, a robust number of CNP training programs developed, but recently, there has been a decrease in the number of programs and fellows, although the number of programs and fellows in the subspecialties of epilepsy, neuromuscular medicine, and sleep medicine has increased. A diplomate survey indicated that most respondents devoted significant practice time to CNP procedures, especially to EEGs and EMGs. Although more diplomates performed EEGs than EMGs, a substantial portion performed both. Most diplomates were planning to or had maintained certification in CNP.
Conclusion Over 3,000 neurologists, child neurologists, and psychiatrists have obtained certification in CNP, and the majority are participating in recertification. Although the newer and overlapping subspecialties of epilepsy, neuromuscular medicine, and sleep medicine may be having a negative impact on CNP, it continues to have a relatively large number of programs and attracts a relatively large number of fellows.
Glossary
- ABMS=
- American Board of Medical Specialties;
- ABPN=
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology;
- ACGME=
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education;
- AY=
- academic year;
- CNP=
- clinical neurophysiology;
- MOC=
- maintenance of certification;
- NCS=
- nerve conduction study
Footnotes
Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.
Editorial, page 669
- Received July 31, 2019.
- Accepted in final form July 23, 2020.
- © 2020 American Academy of Neurology
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- Author response: Subspecialization in clinical neurophysiology: Development and current status
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