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FAAN APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

The Fellow designation is a formal distinction available to AAN members and recognizes special achievement in the neurosciences, the clinical practice of neurology, or academic or administrative neurology. Fellows may be elected only from among candidates who meet the qualifying criteria.

Apply to Be a Fellow

Certification

Applicant must be certified in neurology, or neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology, by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Collège des médecins du Québec. 

OR

Applicant must be a recognized specialist in neurology in their country for at least seven years. 

OR

Applicant must have been awarded a neurology-related research grant such as by the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Environmental Protection Agenda (EPA), or similar federal institution as the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI).

Neurology Interest

Applicant must show their chief interest is directed toward practice, teaching, or research in the neurosciences. 

AAN Membership

Applicants must be a Neurologist, Physician Affiliate, or Researcher member of the Academy for no less than seven current, consecutive years at the time of application submission and after residency end date. The AAN Member Engagement Committee may waive the consecutive years' requirement if the candidate's membership has briefly lapsed because of hardship or other exceptional circumstances. 

AAN Meeting Attendance 

Both virtual and in-person meeting attendance count towards FAAN status. Meeting on-demand purchases do not count towards FAAN status.

Applicants located in the United States or Canada must have attended no less than five AAN Annual Meetings, AAN Regional Conferences, AAN Leadership Programs, or Neurology on the Hill after becoming a Neurologist, Physician Affiliate, or Researcher AAN member. The conference/meeting attendance count begins at residency end date.

Applicants located outside the United States or Canada must have attended no less than three AAN Annual Meetings, AAN Regional Conferences, AAN Leadership Programs, or Neurology on the Hill after becoming a Neurologist, Physician Affiliate, or Researcher AAN member (after Junior membership). 

Professional Standing

Applicant must have an overall professional reputation and standing, as determined by the AAN Board of Directors or AAN Executive Committee, that qualifies the candidate for this premier designation.  

Nominations

Two nominations are required for all Fellow applications. Nominators must be current AAN Fellow or Honorary members. There is space on the application to enter your two chosen nominators. Once submitted, your nominators will receive an automatic, personalized email with a link to your application so they may submit their nomination directly to your application. To search for potential nominators, use the AAN Member Search

Special Achievement 

Applicant must have demonstrated special achievement in the neurosciences, the clinical practice of neurology, or academic or administrative neurology pursuant to the following criteria. The candidate’s cumulative body of achievement is considered on a case-by-case basis from the criteria of any or all of the following areas of special achievement:

Academic Achievement

Neurologist and Physician Affiliate Applicants:

Significant and continuing service as an educator in the neurosciences or neurology, or significant scientific or clinical research in neurology, or significant contributions to the medical literature.

  1. Examples of service as an educator include, but are not limited to, holding a teaching appointment of associate professor or comparable status with evidence of significant contribution to the medical literature. Both the publication of papers and presentations at national meetings will be considered in reviewing a teacher's contributions to the medical literature. Examples of contributions to the medical literature as an educator include, but are not limited to, a national educator's award or serial local/regional educator's special recognition; publications in medical education including textbooks, curricula, or education research; or consistent contributions as course director or faculty at AAN annual, regional, or online CME offerings; or preparation of enduring contributions for use in the curricula of residency or fellowship programs. Although there is not an absolute numerical requirement for publications, presentations, or dissemination by educators, the candidate's body of work should at a minimum meet the level judged by the Committee to be appropriate for promotion to associate professor in the academic setting.
  2. Examples of scientific or clinical research include, but are not limited to, the acquisition of new knowledge through hypothesis driven original work in the neurosciences; clinical, epidemiological, or education research, or other areas of investigation such as patient safety and health care disparities. Examples include, but are not limited to, success obtaining peer reviewed funding and peer-reviewed publications in medical or scientific journals.
  3. Examples of contributions to the medical literature include, but are not limited to, the synthesizing of current knowledge in appropriate formats that make information available and useful to other clinicians, educators, researchers, policy-makers, and patients; or using knowledge to improve health care practice, education, health systems, public health, or policy through the publication of review articles in peer-reviewed journals or chapters in high-quality textbooks; and publications or presentations at meetings including case reports, clinical series, didactic lectures (including journal club and grand rounds) at local, regional, and national professional or scientific society meetings.

Researcher Applicants:

Significant and continuing service as an educator or researcher in the neurosciences or neurology or significant contributions to the medical literature.

  1. Examples of service as an educator include, but are not limited to, holding a teaching appointment of associate professor or comparable status with evidence of significant contribution to the medical literature. Both the publication of papers and presentations at national meetings will be considered in reviewing a teacher's contributions to the medical literature. The Member Engagement Committee reserves the right to determine whether or not the criterion is satisfied on a case by case basis.
  2. Examples of scientific or clinical research include, but are not limited to, the acquisition of new knowledge through hypothesis driven original work in the neurosciences; clinical, epidemiological, or education research; or other areas of investigation such as patient safety and health care disparities. Examples include, but are not limited to, success obtaining peer reviewed funding and peer-reviewed publications in medical or scientific journals.

Clinical Achievement

Significant and continuing community, state, regional, national, or international service in the area of clinical neurology above and beyond the requirements of the physician’s employment contract or activities which promote neurology or the neurosciences.

  • Examples of clinical achievement include, but are not limited to, significant dedication of time and effort to public education outside practice; practice in an underserved community or for an underserved patient population; charitable or volunteered medical services inside or outside practice; service to health or medical-related community service organizations; public relations explaining neurology; and awards from medical or community organizations. The AAN reserves the right to review evidence of clinical achievement on a case-by-case basis.

AAN Leadership

Significant and continuing service to the Academy in a leadership position.

  • Examples of AAN leadership include, but are not limited to, service as a member of an Academy committee or executive officer of a section or other official Academy body, including the American Brain Foundation, AAN BrainPAC, and the AAN Institute; as a member of an editorial board of an AAN publication; as a member of an AAN guideline panel; as an AAN spokesperson on a neurology subject; or as a key advocate on state or federal issues impacting neurology.

If you are interested in becoming more involved in the AAN: US member or International Member

Non-AAN Leadership

Significant and continuing service in a prominent leadership position as an officer in a state, regional, national, or international neurologic society, or service in a leadership position with a hospital, health organization, government board or other entity, or medical society.

  • Examples of non-AAN leadership include, but are not limited to, service as an officer of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN); Chief of Staff at a hospital or member of a hospital board of directors; chair of a hospital committee or department; director of a resident, fellowship, or clerkship program; executive health care leadership roles including CEO, officer in a state medical association, or advisor to a President’s Council on Health.

Community Service

Consistent, documented voluntary community service related to neurology. The Member Engagement Committee reserves the right to review evidence of community service on a case-by-case basis.

Other Special Achievements

Other special or unusual achievements, as determined by the AAN Board of Directors or AAN Executive Committee upon recommendation by the Member Engagement Committee.