The “American Board of Neurological Surgery Continuing Medical Education Requirements for Maintenance of Certification” states that 60 Category I Neurosurgical Credits must be completed each three year cycle to fulfill the requirements for Maintenance of Certification (MOC).

Not all ACCME Category I CME activities are eligible for Category I Neurosurgical Credits. The ABNS has defined which Category I CME activities are Eligible for Category I Neurosurgical Credits: “All meetings/courses sponsored, joint sponsored, or endorsed for Category I credits by the AANS or CNS are Eligible for Category I neurosurgical Credits” (ABNS CME Requirements for MOC, section IA). The same requirements exist for enduring materials (section IB).

Endorsement of a Category I CME activity by the CNS indicates that the CNS Education Committee believes that the subject matter is relevant to the practice of neurosurgery. Endorsement does not signify CNS sponsorship or co-sponsorship of the activity or that the CNS participated in the development or delivery of the activity.

The Criteria for CNS Endorsement of a meeting, course, or enduring material are the following:

The meeting/course/enduring material to be endorsed must:

• Be sponsored or co-sponsored by an organization accredited by the ACCME.
• Be designated by the sponsor or co-sponsor as a Category I CME activity.
• Not be sponsored or controlled by a commercial entity.
• Take place in the United States or Canada.
• Serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a Neurosurgeon uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. Operationally, this includes any subject matter that can be found in the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Resident Curriculum in Neurological Surgery.

Download the Policy and Application for Endorsement:
Organizations wishing to apply for CNS endorsement of their meeting, course, or enduring material should submit the following at least six (6) weeks prior to the announcement of the activity:

• Brief cover letter stating the name of the CME activity, type of CME activity (meeting, course, or enduring material), complete contact information, and an attestation stating that “The activity is not sponsored or controlled by a commercial entity."
• Documentation that the activity to be endorsed is sponsored or co-sponsored by an organization accredited by the ACCME.
• Documentation that the activity to be endorsed has been designated by the sponsor or co-sponsor as a Category I CME activity.
• A copy of the learning objectives and syllabus for the CME activity.
• Check for $25.00 payable to “The Congress of Neurological Surgeons”.

• The Congress of Neurological Surgeons will maintain a list of Endorsed meetings or courses on its official web site, www.cns.org. Any given activity will be maintained on this list for four (4) years after receipt of application materials.
• Organizations may place the following statement, without modification, in promotional materials for their CME activity:
  • “This educational activity has been Endorsed by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons as relevant to the practice of Neurological Surgery and meets the criteria for Category I Neurosurgical Credits as defined by the American Board of Neurological Surgery.”
  • Use of the CNS logo is not permitted without written permission of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.