Neurophysiology training in the Neurology Specialist Education Program in Spain

The training period in neurophysiology is a substantial part of the Neurology Specialist Program in Spain. The National Neurology Committee ( La Comisión Nacional de Neurología, CNN), which is the body reporting to the Ministries of Health and Education, must ensure compliance to the Program. During the first trimester of 2008, the CNN sent a questionnaire, in which there was a question asking about this training period, to each of the managers of the 69 teaching units accredited for neurology training in Spain, for them to answer. Of the 69 questionnaires issued, 49 were received completed, which was a response rate of 71%. The neurophysiology training period of the neurology specialist program in Spain was carried out in the same hospital in 44 teaching unit (90%): the remaining 5 sent their neurology trainees to 4 different hospitals. The Unit that carried out the neurophysiology training period was incorporated into the Neurology Department in 27 (55%) cases, and the formula was mixed in 3 (6%). A total of 69% of tutors were satisfied with the training, but was 90% in the hospitals where the unit was integrated into Neurology, and was 65% where this relationship did not exist. The neurologists in training were informed about EEG in 49% of education units, performed EMG/ENG 57%, and informed about evoked potentials in 35% after their training period. Although the level of satisfaction is high, the level of responsibility assumed by the neurologists in training during their rotation into neurophysiology does not appear to comply to the demands laid out in the training program, particularly in these units not integrated into Neurology Departments. El periodo formativo en neurofisiología es una parte sustancial del programa de la especialidad de neurología en España. La Comisión Nacional de Neurología (CNN), que es el órgano dependiente de los Ministerios de Sanidad y Educación, debe velar por el cumplimiento del programa. Durante el primer semestre de 2008 la CNN envió a cada una de las 69 unidades docentes acreditadas para la formación de neurología en España un cuestionario para que los responsables docentes de cada unidad lo contestaran, donde se preguntaba sobre este periodo formativo. De los 69 cuestionarios remitidos se recibieron 49 cumplimentados, lo que supone una tasa de respuesta del 71%. El periodo formativo de neurofisiología del programa de la especialidad de neurología se realiza en España en el mismo hospital en 44 centros (90%); los 5 res