The work done by the European Board of Neurology (EBN) is impressive and the EFNS is very grateful. If the EBN did not exist the EFNS would have had to invent it and do the work ourselves. As it is we enjoy an intimate relationship with EBN. Two members of the EFNS sit on the EBN, Dr Marianne de Visser and Dr David Vodušek, and we have invited the President of the EBN to attend and speak to the Council of the EFNS in September in Stockholm. Clearly the training of our neurologists is of the utmost importance to European neurology. The care with which the EBN revised Chapter 6 of its educational charter incorporating the neurology training curriculum deserves our applause and thanks.
One of the manifestations of the EBN is its offer of visits to assess the training programmes of European neurology departments. The Report of the visitation of the European Board of Neurology, to the neurological department of the Istanbul Faculty of Medicine of the Istanbul University March 23, 2012 is impressive from three points of view.
1. The visit was well constructed and thorough
2. The department “passed” the assessment with flying colours and
3. The willingness of the department to have the results publicised in this way exhibits great confidence and is highly commendable.
There is likely to be a large variety and probably a range of standards of training models in the 44 countries which make up the EFNS. It is likely that we can all learn from each other. The openness with which this scheme is being pursued is commendable and the EFNS will be very pleased to work with the EBN to further this programme of assessments. Countries which do not already have similar schemes for assessing training programmes should consider seeking help from the EBN.
Previous articles by Alexandre Bisdorff and Wolfgang Grisold.
