Need for the course:
The scientific and technological innovations in the field of neurosciences and the unique challenges posed by the critically ill neurological patients makes the need for dedicated neurological intensive care units across medical facilities obvious. Neurocritical care as a dedicated subspecialty of critical care medicine, has been recognized and developed in a big way around the world for the optimization of neurologically injured patients and improving patient outcomes. There is a need for quality training and certification of physicians in this relatively upcoming field for the development of the field and acceptance into the mainstream of critical care. The presence of heterogeneity of institutional structures (open vs closed units), wide variation in procedural requirements, and the logistics of care provision among neurocritical care units necessitates that uniform training standards are set to ensure standardization of neurocritical care practice.
Goals of the course:
The FNCC (Fellowship of Neurocritical Care) is a post-doctoral fellowship programme inneurocritical care, aimed to provide quality training to candidates for the comprehensive, multisystem management of the critically ill patients with neurological and neurosurgical insults, keeping in mind the sound principles of neurocritical care. The course will provide clinical manpower to all the hospitals with dedicated neurocritical care units.
The Society of Neurocritical Care (SNCC-India), in collaboration with the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM), seeks to assume the accreditation responsibility for the fellowship programme in Neurocritical Care, so as to ensure uniform training standards. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) of five years has been agreed upon between the two societies for the initiation of the fellowship programme, which may be extended subsequently. The finances of the fellowship programme shall be handled by the ISCCM, as per their education policy. The institutions desirous of seeking accreditation to start the fellowship programme, will provide the ISCCM & SNCC office with the required information on a standard format. The College Board of the ISCCM & SNCC will give its initial approval after on site scrutiny by the inspectors appointed by the College Board, in order to ensure the adequacy of facilities in the concerned institution. The final accreditation will be given at the end of completion of the first batch, subject to the institution providing the details of the training given to the candidates (theoretical and practical). Entry to the
course is at the discretion of the institution depending on the fulfilment of candidate eligibility. Exit level examinations are suggested to be conducted by the SNCC (in collaboration with the ISCCM) as per the ISCCM examination policy, and a certificate of fellowship completion is proposed to be awarded at the annual conference of the ISCCM. The prize distribution ceremony for the fellowship programme shall be conducted in the annual conference of the SNCC.