Archived Comment Periods

Program Requirements

Program Requirements are the minimum standards with which programs must demonstrate substantial compliance to achieve accreditation. The program requirements include two components: common program requirements, which are required of all subspecialties (bold typeface), and subspecialty-specific (regular typeface), both of which must be reviewed at least once every five years. Revision may also be requested at any time by the UCNS Board of Directors or by a subspecialty’s sponsoring organization(s).

Invitation to Comment on Proposed Changes to Subspecialty-Specific Program Requirements 
The subspecialties below are undergoing the five-year review of their the subspecialty-specific program requirements. Comments are invited for the proposed changes shown in regular typeface language only.

2026 Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatric Program Requirements (subspecialty-specific)
  • Five-year review of subspecialty-specific requirements with proposed changes identified using track changes

 Click here to submit comments

Comments Due: April 17, 2026 CLOSED

2026 Headache Medicine Program Requirements (subspecialty-specific)
  • Five-year review of subspecialty-specific requirements with proposed changes identified using track changes

 Click here to submit comments

Comments Due: April 17, 2026 CLOSED

Invitation to Comment on Common Program Requirement IV.A.3. Focused Revision 
  • Focused revision of program requirement IV.A.3. Program Director Qualifications proposed

 Click here to submit comments

Comments Due: April 17, 2026 CLOSED

Proposed Neurocritical Care Program Requirements Revision 

UCNS program requirements define the minimum standards with which programs must demonstrate substantial compliance to achieve UCNS accreditation. The program requirements include two components: common program requirements, which are required of all subspecialties (bold typeface), and subspecialty-specific (regular typeface). All program requirements must undergo regular review, at least every five years or sponsoring organizations may request revisions as needed. 

The Neurocritical Care (NCC) subspecialty sponsoring organizations have requested a focused revision to the UCNS NCC Program Requirements, section VI.D.4., Clinical Components. Comments must be submitted using link below. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Description of changes for comment:

Submit Comments Here

Comments Due: September 30, 2025 CLOSED

 

Proposed Certification Examination Eligibility Revision

The UCNS Certification General Eligibility Requirements outline the requirements that must be met by all subspecialty certification examination applicants. Any proposed changes to the Certification General Eligibility Requirements require a 30-day comment period. Comments must be submitted using link below. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Description of changes for comment:
  • Proposed revision of Certification General Eligibility Requirements B.2.d.
  • Recommend that practice time that occurs up to August 31 of the current application year may be counted towards the practice time requirement and may be included in the practice time documentation that must be submitted by the application deadline.
  • Change recommended to reduce the potential barrier for certification exam applicants who may be short of practice time by application deadlines that occur in the early part of a year due to timing of the academic year and when an applicant begins their practice time following training.

Submit Comments Here

Comments Due: September 30, 2025 CLOSED

Proposed Accreditation Common Program Requirement Revisions

UCNS program requirements define the minimum standards with which programs must demonstrate substantial compliance to achieve UCNS accreditation. The program requirements include two components: common program requirements, which are required of all subspecialties (bold typeface), and subspecialty-specific (regular typeface). All program requirements must undergo regular review, at least every five years. The UCNS Common Program Requirements recently underwent the five-year review process, and the public is now invited to comment on the proposed revisions that are shown using track changes PDF document. 

Common Program Requirement Revisions

Comments must be emailed to Amanda Carpenter, Senior Manager, Accreditation, at [email protected]. Comments must include the document title for which the comment is being submitted, the page number, line number, program requirement, and comment. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Comments due: September 27, 2024 CLOSED

Proposed Accreditation Neonatal Neurocritical Care Milestones

Milestones are used to evaluate a fellow’s progression through the training program. Common milestones have been developed for all subspecialties for Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice-based Learning and Improvement, Professionalism, and Systems-based Practice. The subspecialty-specific milestones are developed by task forces of subject matter experts appointed by the subspecialty. Subspecialty stakeholders and the neurology community are invited to provide comments for the proposed Medical Knowledge and Patient Care milestones for the subspecialty of Neonatal Neurocritical Care.

Proposed Neonatal Neurocritical Care Milestones

Comments must be emailed to Amanda Carpenter, Senior Manager, Accreditation, at [email protected]. Comments must include the milestone number, the page number, milestone level, and comment. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Comments due: September 27, 2024 CLOSED

Proposed Certification Eligibility Requirements Changes

Certification General Eligibility Requirements are the requirements by all applicants for UCNS certification examinations. Any proposed changes to the General Eligibility Requirements require a 30-day comment period.

Certification General Eligibility Requirements (applies to all subspecialties)

Description of changes for comment:
  • Revision of Certification General Eligibility Requirements B.4.c. for the certification application pathway for Internationally Trained Faculty at UCNS-Accredited Training Programs.
  • Recommended removal of the conditional certification restriction after initial certification is attained through the Internationally Trained Faculty at UCNS-Accredited Programs application pathway.
  • Proposed change allows faculty certified through this application pathway to remain certified should they leave the institution where they held the academic appointment upon achieving certification or should their program’s UCNS-accreditation status change. Certification remains contingent upon meeting the annual continuous certification requirements to maintain their certification.

Comments due: January 19, 2024 CLOSED

Certification

Neonatal Neurocritical Care Certification Examination Content Outline
  • Description for comment: Neonatal Neurocritical Care proposed certification examination content outline.
Deadline: June 5, 2023 CLOSED

Neonatal Neurocritical Care Certification Examination Eligibility Criteria 
  • Description for comment: Neonatal Neurocritical Care proposed subspecialty-specific certification eligibility requirements. Only comments in highlighted regular typeface will be considered. Include document line reference for each comment.
Deadline: June 5, 2023 CLOSED

Proposed Subspecialty Program Requirements Changes

Program Requirements are the minimum standards with which fellowship trainin programs must demonstrate substantial compliance to achieve accreditation. The program requirements include two components: common program requirements, which are required of all subspecialties (bold typeface), and subspecialty-specific requirements (regular typeface). 

Neurocritical Care Program Requirement IV.A.2.d. 
  • Description of changed for comment: Neurocritical Care subspecialty-specific program requirement. Only comments specific to the revision shown in track-change will be considered.

Neuro-oncology Program Requirement V.B.

  • Description of changes for comment: Neuro-oncology subspecialty-specific program requirement. Only comments specific to the revision shown in track-change will be considered.

Neonatal Neurocritical Care Program Requirements

  • Description of changes for comment: Neonatal Neurocritical Care proposed subspecialty-specific program requirements. Only comments in regular typeface will be considered.

Comments must be emailed to Amanda Carpenter, Senior Manager, Accreditation, at [email protected]. Comments must include the document title for which the comment is being submitted, the page number, line number, program requirement, and comment. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Comments due: Friday, March 3, 2023 CLOSED

Accreditation

2021 Common Program Requirements V.B.4. Fellow Eligibility (incorporated into all subspecialties)
Description of changes for comment:
  • Creation of an Alternative Eligibility Pathway (program requirement V.B.4.) to allow for enrollment of international medical graduates into accredited programs
Comments due: March 26, 2021 CLOSED

2021 Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology Program Requirements (subspecialty specific)
Description of changes for comment:
  • Five-year review of subspecialty-specific program requirements
Comments due: March 26, 2021 CLOSED

2021 Geriatric Neurology Program Requirements (subspecialty specific)
Description of changes for comment:
  • Five-year review of subspecialty-specific program requirements
  • Addition of accreditation-only requirement criteria for program directors
Comments due: March 26, 2021 CLOSED

2021 Headache Medicine Program Requirements (subspecialty specific)
Description of changes for comment:
  • Five-year review of subspecialty-specific program requirements
Comments due: March 26, 2021 CLOSED

Certification

2021 Certification General Eligibility Requirements (applies to all subspecialties)
 Description of changes for comment:
  • Creation of eligibility requirements for international physicians seeking UCNS certification
  • General revisions to aid in readability and cohesiveness
  • Addition of a permanent academic appointment eligibility pathway
  • Creation of eligibility requirements for internationally trained faculty at UCNS-accredited training programs
Comments due: March 26, 2021 CLOSED

Accreditation

Program Requirements
Program Requirements are the minimum standards with which programs must demonstrate substantial compliance to achieve accreditation. The program requirements include two components: common program requirements, which are required of all subspecialties (bold typeface), and subspecialty-specific (regular typeface). The comment period invitation includes only subspecialty-specific program requirements.
2021 Interventional Neurology Program Requirements (subspecialty-specific)
  • Creation of subspecialty-specific program requirements
Comments due: August 30, 2021 CLOSED

2021 Neuroimaging Program Requirements (subspecialty-specific)
  • Five-year review of subspecialty-specific program requirements
Comments due: August 30, 2021 CLOSED

Comments must be emailed to Amanda Carpenter, Senior Manager, Accreditation, at [email protected]. Comments must include the document title for which the comment is being submitted, the page number, line number, program requirement, and comment. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Milestones
Milestones are used to evaluate a fellow’s progression through the program. Common milestones have been developed for all subspecialties for Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice-based Learning and Improvement, Professionalism, and Systems-based Practice. The subspecialty-specific milestones for which you are invited to comment for Medical Knowledge and Patient Care are included in the PDF document.

Autonomic Disorders 
Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry 
Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology 

Comments due: August 30, 2021 CLOSED

Certification

2021 Certification General Eligibility Requirements (applies to all subspecialties)
Description of changes for comment:
  • Revision of Certification General Eligibility Requirements to better clarify language for Internationally Trained Faculty at UCNS-Accredited Training Programs
  • Revision of Internationally Trained Faculty at UCNS-Accredited Programs pathway to better clarify certificate status

Comments due: November 15, 2021  CLOSED

Accreditation

Program Requirements
Program Requirements are the minimum standards with which programs must demonstrate substantial compliance to achieve accreditation. The program requirements include two components: common program requirements, which are required of all subspecialties (bold typeface), and subspecialty-specific (regular typeface). This comment period invites comments for a specific Neurocritical Care subspecialty-specific program requirement. Only comments specific to the revision shown in track change will be considered.

Neurocritical Care Program Requirements

Comments must be emailed to Amanda Carpenter, Senior Manager, Accreditation, at [email protected]. Comments must include the document title for which the comment is being submitted, the page number, line number, program requirement, and comment. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Comments due: September 19, 2022 CLOSED

Milestones
Milestones are used to evaluate a fellow’s progression through the program. Common milestones have been developed for all subspecialties for Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice-based Learning and Improvement, Professionalism, and Systems-based Practice. The subspecialty-specific milestones for which you are invited to comment for Medical Knowledge and Patient Care are included in the PDF document. Italicized text within common milestones may also be commented upon; however, all other common milestone comments will not be reviewed.

Geriatric Neurology
Neuroimaging

Comments must be emailed to Amanda Carpenter, Senior Manager, Accreditation, at [email protected]. Comments must include the document title for which the comment is being submitted, the page number, line number, and comment. Comments received after the deadline date will not be considered.

Comments due: September 19, 2022 CLOSED