Faculty Collaboration Database

Development of an Educational Curriculum for Implanting and Managing Vagus Nerve Stimulators for Epilepsy. Neuromodulation 2025 Jun;28(4):551-557

Date

02/19/2025

Pubmed ID

39969456

DOI

10.1016/j.neurom.2024.12.008

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85217976989 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   3 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) devices are commonly used for extracranial neuromodulation of drug-resistant epilepsy. These devices are implanted by multiple surgical subspecialties and managed by practitioners with varying levels of epilepsy-specific expertise. The North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) education committee presents a curriculum defining level-dependent recommendations within the six-core competency rubric for the implantation and management of VNS devices.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multidisciplinary (anesthesiology, neurology, neurosurgery, and physiatrists) and diverse (advanced practice providers, physicians, and surgeons) subcommittee of the NANS education committee met virtually over a year to develop a curriculum following the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies. The subcommittee used a consensus approach, evidence-based development strategy; once completed, the VNS curriculum was approved by the NANS board.

RESULTS: The subcommittee developed a VNS curriculum as a standard to be used for implanting surgeons, managing physicians, and advanced practice providers. The vertical orientation of the curriculum uses the ACGME educational core competencies framework; within this paradigm is a horizontal progression of skills with distinct competency groups for implanting surgeons and/or managing physicians. The horizontal progression defines the expected competence for early learner, advanced learner, and independent practitioner.

CONCLUSION: A NANS education subcommittee iteratively developed a VNS curriculum for defining progressive competence of myriad care providers, including clinicians and advanced practice providers, within the ACGME six core competencies.

Author List

Bieber D, Gupta K, Abdallah R, Abd-Elsayed A, Engle A, Duff I, Hoffman D, Kalia H, Rosenow J, Macken M, Raslan AM, Slavin K, Tennant A, Raskin JS

Author

Kunal Gupta PhD, MBBS Associate Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Clinical Competence
Curriculum
Education, Medical, Graduate
Epilepsy
Humans
Vagus Nerve Stimulation