RULES OF RECERTIFICATION

• The certificate that is issued by the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery (ABPNS) has a ten year expiration date.
• Diplomates will have two full years to complete the recertification process, which can be initiated no later than the calendar year prior to the expiration of the certificate.
• Diplomates, who are not recertified in the time frame, will be listed as "not certified".

REQUIREMENTS FOR RECERTIFICATION

1. Be currently certified by the ABPNS.
   
2. Demonstrate an unencumbered certification by the American Board of Neurological Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
   
3. Submit a surgical case log for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to application, meeting criteria outlined in section A 3. For candidates attempting to qualify for recertification on the premise that 75% of all operative cases are in pediatric patients, the majority of operative cases meeting this criterion must be in patients under 22 years of age. For operative cases in patients 22 years of age or older to be counted as “pediatric type” for purposes of recertification, initial surgery must have been performed under 22 years of age for hydrocephalus, Chiari malformation, craniosynostosis or spinal dysraphism by the applicant or another surgeon and repeat surgeries must be performed by the applicant for the same conditions at a later age. All other conditions are not accepted.
   
4. Provide evidence of continuing medical learning by the acquisition of at least 90 hours of CME in the 36 months immediately prior to application for recertification.
   
5. Provide evidence of an unencumbered state or provincial license to practice medicine.
   
6. Provide evidence that the candidate has unencumbered staff privileges in each hospital at which the candidate practices at the time of recertification.
   
7. Have paid all annual assessments as well as the application fee required for recertification.
   
8. Attain a passing grade on a written examination given by the APBNS.

No individual will be permitted to take this written examination without having complied with all standards for certification as noted above. If unsuccessful in passing the written examination, the applicant must re-take the examination at the next scheduled test date. If the reexamination is failed, the applicant must reapply for certification, and submit a current operative case log and evidence of current professional standing, as outlined above.

Diplomates of the ABPNS who fail to obtain recertification in accordance with the rules and regulations outlined above will have their names removed from the roster of active diplomates of the Board and will be requested to return their Board Certificate to the Board.

RECERTIFICATION PROCESS

Submission of Application

1. Deadlines for submission of application documents are: October 1st for the written examination in June, and April 1st for the written examination at the Pediatric Section Meetings. Your application will be processed and presented to the Board at its meeting in November/December and June respectively. You will be notified by the Board’s Chairman shortly thereafter as to your eligibility to sit for the exam.
2. Download and Complete an ABPNS Request for Recertification.
3. Using the "Save As" or "Rename" function, please add your last name first initial in front of the file name.
4. Download and Complete an ABPNS Recertification Case Log.
   • Please follow the Instructions for Completing ABPNS Case Log.
   • Using the "Save As" or "Rename" function, please add your last name first initial in front of the file name.
5. E-mail the following supporting documents, in Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) to the Chairman, Dr. TS Park.  His email is park@wustl.edu
   
   No Paper/Hard Copies or Original Documents will be accepted.
   
   
6. Application fee - Mail you’re a check for $750 payable to American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery to the Board Chairman: before the examination.

   TS Park, M.D.
   Department of Neurosurgery
   St. Louis Children's Hospital
   One Children's Place
   St. Louis, MO 63110.

After Submission of Application

1. Applications will be reviewed initially by the Credentials Committee and subsequently by the Board of Directors at the Board meetings in June and the winter meeting of the AANS/CNS Joint Section for Pediatric Neurosurgery.
2. After the Board meetings candidates will be notified by the Board Secretary of their eligibility for the written examination.
3. The written examination is held twice a year, in June and at the annual meeting of the AANS/CNS Joint Section for Pediatric Neurosurgery.
4. The Board Chairman will mail new certificates to candidates who pass the written examination.