European Diploma of Radiosurgery

EANS and UEMS have published a chart of added competence in Radiosurgery (Annexe 1). This important document was stating:

‘It is considered that in no single specialty does the primary training provide all the necessary knowledge and expertise to ensure the safety of this specialist treatment, without targeted training arrangements. Therefore it is regarded as mandatory that additional competence is acquired by a so-called fellowship of defined duration in an appropriate institution.”

Discussions about such a joint SRS diploma started in 2010. In the minutes of the general assembly of the ESSFN the captation is:

“The President reports on the evolution of the relationship with the EANS in order to improve the coordination and harmonisation of neurosurgical training in the field of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery all over Europe. He indicates that there is a concept of nominating common delegates for both societies. It is suggested that Jean Regis from Marseille would serve in that function to be commissioned by the ESSFN. Overall, this is regarded as a very positive development for both ESSFN and EANS.”

A final document (Annexe 2) called Combined EANS/ESSFN Approach in Additional Competence Training in Stereotactic Neuro-Radiosurgery for Neurosurgeons was validated by the board of the EANS and ESSFN in September 2019 and was co-signed by Bodo Lippitz, Andras Kemeny, Kita Sallabanda, Johan Van Loo & Jean Regis.

The current joint EANS/ESSFN training committee will provide and certify additional competence training of stereotactic neuro-radiosurgery based on the criteria that are summarised in the initial document that has been approved by the members of the UEMS Section of Neurosurgery, on June 28, 2008.

Since, in line with the joint decision of the two societies, courses have been organized on the occasion of the EANS and ESSFN congresses an alternate manner:

• Dublin, Sept 2019, Basics of Radiosurgery
• Marseille, Sept 2020, Hands on training course
• Hamburgh, Oct 2021, Intracranial Meningiomas cancelled
• Marseille, Sept 2021, Vascular Malformations (in replacement)
• Belgrade, Sep 2022, Intracranial Meningiomas
• Stockholm, Sept 2023, Vestibular Schwannomas
• Sofia, Sept 2024, Brain Metastases

Second cycle

• Budapest, Sept 2025, Basics of Radiosurgery

Typically the cycle is a 5 modules one (Basics, Vascular, Meningiomas, Schwannomas, Malignancy). The first cycle was disturbed by the COVID.

Those completing the attendance to the 5 modules are eligible for the diploma and have to write us (jregis@ap-hm.fr).

We would like to enhance the fact that radiosurgery is one of the frontiers of our specialty which is in danger to be lost and that the European Diploma of Radiosurgery is a major feature of the EANS strategy to defend this frontier.