2025 Neurocritical Care Reading List

Reading List

Please click below to access the 2025 Neurocritical Care reading list.

C-cert Activity Description

The Continuous Certification (C-cert) activities provide subspecialty learning and knowledge assessment to ensure that diplomates are staying up to date on the latest science, treatments, and therapeutics relating to their subspecialty. The annual activities include: 1) reading the subspecialty  journal articles, and 2) taking and passing the 25-question online post-reading quiz to assess knowledge gained from the journal article content. 

Learning Objectives

• Explain up-to-date, best evidence for the use of steroids in sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)
• Identify optimal recommendations for diagnosis and management of new-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE)/febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES)
• Review the likely risk/benefit ratio and optimal timing of surgery for severe infective endocarditis (IE) for patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes
• Identify and implement the most reliable factors for determining brain death/death by neurologic criteria
• Demonstrate an evidence-based approach in the use of minimally invasive surgery for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Core Competencies

• Medical Knowledge
• Patient Care
• Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Instructions

To claim CME credits, answer question 26 on the quiz to reflect the total time spent completing the required reading and online quiz. This question is not included in the scoring of the quiz. A passing score of 80% of higher is needed to meet C-cert requirements and receive CME credit. CME credit confirmation will be emailed within 24 hours of passing the quiz.

ACCME Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the American Academy of Neurology Institute (AANI) and United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties. The AANI is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

The American Academy of Neurology Institute designates this enduring material for a maximum of 15 AMA PRA Category 1^TM credit(s). Physicians should claim only their credit commensurate with the extent of the participation in the activity.

ABPN Self-Assessment Designation Statement

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) has reviewed the UCNS Continuous Certification (C-cert) self-assessment activity and has approved this activity as part of a comprehensive self-assessment (SA) CME activity, which is mandated by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) as a necessary component of continuing certification.

Disclosures

The UCNS complies with all standards and policies of the ACCME, including identification and resolution of all conflicts of interest prior to the educational activity being delivered to learners. Accordingly, UCNS  planners, authors, and staff comply with the UCNS’s Conflicts of Interest Policy. 

2025 C-cert Activity Planner (Certification Council) Disclosures
All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

Neurocritical Care Certification Examination Committee Contributors

Lauren Koffman, DO, Chair, Lewis Katz School of Medicine 
Disclosures: Received compensation from Marinus - served as a consultant on reviewing educational materials and presenting a non-branded lecture; Honorarium for speaking for organ procurement organization. 

Sarah Nelson, MD, Vice Chair, Tufts Medical Center 
Disclosures: Received compensation from Spark Healthcare as webinar speaker; receives compensation for serving as Assistant Editor, Neurology Journal, Editorial Board, Neurodiem; Receives royalties from neurocritical care textbook. 

Marin Darsie, MD, University of Wisconsin Madison 
Disclosures: Receives research support: 1. Improving Patient Classification and Outcome Measurement in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Source: NIH/ NINDS, Amount: $221,927.00, Project Period: 08/01/2021 through 03/31/2024 PI: Lindsay Nelson, PhD (Medical College of Wisconsin) Subrecipient PI: Marin Darsie, MD, 25% effort Pending Proposals 2. Prospective study of point-of-care blood-based bio markers in acute military, civilian, and sport-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) Source: Department of Defense, Amount: $456,896.00, Project Period: 09/25/2023 through 9/24/2027 PI: Michael McCrea, PhD (Medical College of Wisconsin) Subrecipient PI: Marin Darsie, MD, 10% effort. 

Bradley Dengler, MD, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center 
Disclosures: Received two research grants funded from CDMRP TBI-PHRP. 

Christa O’Hana San Luis Nobleza, MD, Baptist Medical Group 
Disclosures: Serves on the SCCM Neurocritical Care board review task force (2023). The task force does not currently have a board review initiative. 

Abhay Kumar, MD, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston 
Disclosures: Nothing to disclose. 

Panayiotis N. Varelas, MD, Albany Medical College 
Disclosures: Receives compensation for serving on Advisory Board for UCB, Marinus, and Astra Zeneca; receives compensation for serving as speaker for UCB; received research support for serving as local PI for studies by Marinus, Astra Zeneca, and Bayer. There was no personal compensation; receives Springer royalties for his book.

Ivan Rocha Ferreira da Silva, MD, PhD, University of Florida  
Disclosures: Nothing to disclose. 

Michel T. Torbey, MD, MPH, University of Oklahoma 
Disclosures: Nothing to disclose. 

Atul Kalanuria, MD, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals 
Disclosures: Receives compensation as a full-time employee of Johnson & Johnson (pharmaceutical company) since June 1, 2024. Receives compensation for serving on the board of directors for The Society for Healthcare Innovation; received compensation for being consulted as a subject matter expert for the purposes of reviewing medico-legal cases for the following: 1. Expert iQ 2. Round Table group 3. American Medical Experts; received research funding as the site PI sponsored by the Department of Defense; serve as a member of the Item Writing Committee (Adult) for the Society of Critical Care Medicine: term is from 2024-2027. 

Wan Tsu Wendy Chang, MD, University of Maryland School of Medicine 
Disclosures: Serves as American Academy of Emergency Medicine Oral Board Review Course Examiner. 

Marc-Alain Babi, MD, Cleveland Clinic – Florida 
Disclosures: Nothing to disclose.

Staff Contact

Bryan Hagerla, Continuous Certification Manager
Disclosures: Nothing to disclose.
[email protected]
(612) 928-6326