UCNS Updates: New Training Programs, New Accreditation Council Chair

July 8, 2024

The United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS) is an independent nonprofit established by the AAN and four other leading neurology organizations. As the accrediting and certifying body for emerging neurological subspecialties, the UCNS provides a means of formal recognition and improved training standards for subspecialties.

Here are the latest updates from the UCNS.

Newly Accredited Training Programs Announced

Seven fellowship training programs have recently received accreditation by UCNS.

Programs attaining UCNS accreditation status offer the core curriculum established by the subspecialty and meet required quality standards established by UCNS.

Accreditation is a voluntary process of evaluation and peer review based on UCNS accreditation standards. Fellows who complete a UCNS-accredited program meet the training eligibility requirements to apply for certification in the subspecialty. There are now 248 UCNS-accredited training programs in ten UCNS-recognized subspecialties.

Programs and their directors achieving accreditation effective June 1, 2024:

Program	Program Director
Headache Medicine
Northwestern University	Bianca Barcelo, MD
Wright State University	Richard Kim, MD
Interventional Neurology
University of Texas, Austin	Jefferson Miley, MD
SSM Health/St. Louis University	Guillermo Linares, MD
Neurocritical Care
University of Illinois at Chicago	Ciro Ramos Estebanez, MD, PhD, MBA
Barrow Neurologic Institute	Fiona Lynch, MD, MPH
Neuro-oncology
University of Pennsylvania	Richard Phillips, MD, PhD

Training programs interested in applying for accreditation will find application and program requirement information for each subspecialty. Applications received by July 31, 2024, will be reviewed in the fall of 2024.

Peters Takes over as Accreditation Council Chair

Katherine B. Peters, MD, PhD, assumed the role of chair of the UCNS Accreditation Council on June 1. Peters, who is a neuro-oncologist at Duke University School of Medicine, has represented the AAN on the council since 2017 and served a two-year term as vice chair.

Peters said, “UCNS-accredited programs have undergone an accreditation application process that includes voluntarily undergoing a rigorous peer review to achieve accreditation. Accreditation reassures perspective fellows that programs meet nationally recognized educational standards established by leadership in the subspecialty.”

Peters follows James W. M. Owens, MD, PhD, who served terms as chair and vice chair of the council and is now serving as past chair, has represented the Child Neurology Society on the council since 2017.

Owens, who is an epileptologist at the University of Iowa, said, “UCNS has been recognized by the neurologic community as the main accrediting and certifying body for emerging neurology subspecialties since 2003. In that time, UCNS has accredited more than 240 programs and certified more than 3,100 diplomates. UCNS’ solid foundation is built upon strong neurology society leadership and the dedicated volunteers that those societies appoint.”

Learn more about the accreditation process. For questions, contact Amanda Carpenter through email or by calling (612) 928-6065.