Chair: Linda Liau, MD, PhD, MBA, FAANS
Members: Ian Dunn, MD, FAANS, Isabelle Germano, MD, FAANS, FACS, Fred Lang, MD, FAANS, Michael Link, MD, FAANS, Jennifer Moliterno-Gunel, MD, FAANS, Jeff Olson, MD, FAANS, and Gabriel Zada, MD, FAANS

The Committee on Advanced Subspecialty Training (CAST) is responsible for the accreditation of subspecialty training fellowships in neurosurgery and for the development and updating of subspecialty training requirements. The CAST functions under, and is responsible to, the Executive Council of the Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS). In 2019, the SNS partnered with the American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS) to allow for a huge expansion and re-organization of CAST accreditation activities. Prior to 2019, CAST was also responsible for individual advanced subspecialty certification of individual trainees beyond those of the core residency. As of September 1, 2019, the ABNS is now responsible for managing subspecialty fellowship certification of individuals, while the CAST is responsible for the accreditation of fellowship programs.

Along with this SNS and ABNS partnership, CAST fellowship accreditation activities continue to expand, with major growth in central nervous system (CNS) neuro-endovascular surgery, neuro-critical care (NCC) and other areas. Over the past few years, several members of the AANS/CNS Section of Tumors have worked closely with CAST to formally define tumor fellowship criteria, both in neurosurgical oncology and skull base surgery. With strong input from the Tumor Section CAST Advisory Group, CAST launched a new fellowship accreditation pathway for skull base neurosurgery last year, which is separate and distinct from neurosurgical oncology. As of 2022, there are now 23 CAST-accredited fellowships in neurosurgical oncology, and 14 CAST-accredited skull base fellowships nationally. Fellowship program requirements for neurosurgical oncology and the new skull base neurosurgery fellowships can be found at:  https://sns-cast.org/program-requirements .

Special thanks to the members of the AANS/CNS Tumor Section CAST Advisory Group, who have provided input for CAST fellowship criteria and/or will be performing annual reviews of fellowship case logs for maintenance of accreditation of CAST fellowship programs. Our neurosurgical oncology CAST advisors and reviewers include: Isabelle Germano, MD, FAANS, FACS, Fred Lang, MD, FAANS, Jeff Olson, MD, FAANS, Jeff Weinberg, MD, FAANS, FACS, Jennifer Moliterno-Gunel, MD, FAANS, Kevin Lillehei, MD, FAANS, and Shaan Raza, MD, FAANS. For the skull base neurosurgery fellowships, we are grateful for the input from our skull base tumor surgeons: Michael Link, MD, FAANS, Gabriel Zada, MD, FAANS, Ian Dunn, MD, FAANS, Jacques Morcos, MD, FAANS, FACS, Marvin Bergsneider, MD, FAANS, James Evans, MD, FAANS, and Danny Prevedello, MD.