The Role of the NREF Endovascular and Cerebrovascular Courses in Neurosurgical Residency and Fellowship Training and Future Directions

In 1980, the National Education and Research Foundation was established by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. One of its primary goals is to provide education to Neurosurgeons at all stages of their career. In recent years, technological advances, increased public demand for safety, and duty hour restrictions have decreased the opportunity for neurosurgical residents to gain exposure to complex cerebrovascular surgeries. Surgical simulation and cadaver dissections offer physicians the opportunity to learn complex anatomy and techniques without harming patients. Although simulation has been widely used in many nonmedical fields, neurosurgical simulation is still in its infancy. In this chapter, we review the history and role of the vascular education courses in training neurosurgical residents and neurointerventional fellows.