Dr. Richard Zweifler, professor of neurology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, has obtained Board Certification in Vascular Neurology from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). He is one of only 225 doctors in the nation to have achieved this recognition.

For the past 10 years, Zweifler has served as medical director of the USA Stroke Center. In addition to caring for stroke patients, he is actively involved in research to improve patient outcomes. His research interests include acute stroke intervention, therapeutic hypothermia for stroke, and stroke prevention.

In 2003, the ABPN created the vascular neurology certification to help identify properly trained and experienced vascular neurologists. Additionally, the certification was created to establish the field of vascular neurology as a solid sub specialization in both neurology and child neurology.

To qualify for the vascular neurology certification, doctors must complete additional formal training in vascular neurology, devote at least 25 percent of their practice to vascular neurology and successfully pass a comprehensive examination encompassing epidemiology, basic science and clinical aspects of vascular neurology including recovery, regenerative approaches and rehabilitation of stroke.