Academic Affairs
Special Interest Section
Meeting Minutes
June 23, 2005
Present:
Nabih Manih Ramadan, MD, Chair. David J. Capobianco, MD, Alan G. Finkel, MD, Lynne O. Geweke,
MD, Andrew D. Hershey, MD, PhD, Ivan Lopez, MD, John Lossing, MD, Maryann Mays, MD, Scott W.
Powers, PhD, Jerry W. Swanson, MD, Gretchen Tietjen, MD, David B. Watson, MD, William B. Young,
MD
Staff:
Leslie McGeoch
I.
II.
III.
The Section discussed its goals with respect to headache fellowships, which are to define the membership of
AHS to identify colleagues who might have fellowships, and possibly to complete a membership survey to this
end.
The Section reviewed its accomplishments. In conjunction with the Headache Section of the American
Academy of Neurology, the Section has achieved recognition of headache as a Neurologic subspecialty from
the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS), which allows for certification in headache and for
accredited fellowship programs. AHS is also a member of the American Academy of Medical Colleges
(AAMC) Council of Academic Specialties (CAS), which gives input on educational issues.
a. The Exam Committee for the UCNS certification exam has been chosen. Dr. Finkel stated that he would
send the exam committee a draft core curriculum for headache fellowships. It was stated that UCNS is an
independent council for curriculum review, and that the Academic Affairs Section of AHS should revise
the curriculum to send to UCNS. The Academic Affairs Section of AHS should be vetted with the
responsibility of oversight of the core curriculum as it applies across the continuum of headache education.
The goal of the Section is to make sure the curriculum conforms not just to ACGME but is also good
science.
The Section discussed the role of the Academic Affairs Section within AHS.
a. The Academic Affairs Section would like to establish that it will have active involvement in program and
curricula related to headache education.
b. It was stated that the sections were created for information to come from below, not from above. There
must be a change in structure for the Academic Affairs Section to have a charge.
c. The clarification was made that membership in any Special Interest Section is open to all AHS members,
with no limitations or qualifications.
d. Dr. Lossing moved that the Academic Affairs Section of AHS shall invite and request the Board of
Directors of the AHS to be assigned to this section the primary responsibility to develop headache core
curriculum for future educational endeavors from which would be derived the criteria for the certification
exam for headache. The motion was seconded by Dr. Tietjen, and opened for discussion.
e. Dr. Finkel pointed out that these questions of the role of AHS and the Academic Affairs Section will be
discussed at the Board of UCNS, and that the exam committee will write the exam with the National Board
of Medical Examiners.
f. Dr. Lossing withdrew the motion.
g. Dr. Finkel further stated that the curriculum should be generalizable to programs not just in neurology, and
that the Academic Affairs Section should be a body used as a consulting group to AHS.
h. Dr. Hershey moved that a charge of the Academic Affairs Section be the continuing review and
revision of cure curriculum for headache fellowship. The motion was seconded by Dr. Finkel, and
passed unanimously.
i. Dr. Young moved that a charge of the section be to participate in the development and continuing
review of future academic curricula for residency in headache medicine, and that a function of the
section be to review and revise academic training at all levels of education in headache medicine in
medical schools, residency programs, in physician assistant programs and other allied health sciences
Academic Affairs
Special Interest Section
Meeting Minutes
June 23, 2005
IV.
V.
trainings when opportunities are available to do so. The motion was seconded by Dr. Lopez, and
passed unanimously.
j. Dr. Lossing moved that the Academic Affairs section should be the body within the AHS with
primary responsibility for assuring that the accreditation exam of ACNS is a reasonable and
complete assessment of headache provider competence. The motion was seconded by Dr. Tietjen,
and opened for discussion.
k. Dr. Finkel stated that he would recommend to the Board of UCNS that the Academic Affairs Section
review questions related to the headache examination and recommend changes.
l. The motion passed unanimously, with Dr. Finkel abstaining due to his position on the UCNS Board.
The Section discussed the means by which Section members would communicate.
a. It was suggested that the Electronic Media Committee be asked to create an enhanced means of
communication to be used in and across Sections.
b. The Section will have a physical meeting at each Annual Scientific Meeting and may also meet via
teleconference or web conference in the interim.
The mission of the Section was discussed, and the following submitted after the meeting for approval by the
Section members:
a. The mission of the Academic Affairs Section of the American Headache Society shall be to support and
promote excellence in academic research, practice and teaching of Headache Medicine with the ultimate
goal to advance the care of patients with headache.
There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted by:
Leslie McGeoch