Standardizing Brain Stimulation: Dr. Shan H. Siddiqi on Creating a New Subspecialty in Psychiatry and Neurology
September 15, 2025 - neurocare group
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and other neuromodulation techniques are increasingly recognized as effective treatments for depression, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and more. Yet, despite their clinical success, formal training pathways remain fragmented across disciplines. In a recent interview, neurocare’s Dr. Trevor Brown spoke with Dr. Shan Siddiqi, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, about a major initiative to standardize brain stimulation training through the creation of an accredited subspecialty.
If you’re interested in how this new subspecialty could reshape clinical practice, watch the full interview with Dr. Shan Siddiqi and neurocare’s Dr. Trevor Brown on our YouTube channel and subscribe for more expert insights.
Why Brain Stimulation Needs Accreditation
Dr. Siddiqi’s research focuses on image-guided brain stimulation and its applications across psychiatric and neurological disorders. He explained that while TMS is well-established in psychiatry and DBS in neurology, there is little cross-training between specialties. This limits innovation and slows the adoption of new techniques.
To address this, Dr. Siddiqi and colleagues—including Dr. Nolan Williams—organized the first Brain Stimulation Subspecialty Summit in 2023. Over 55 international experts attended, many at their own expense, highlighting the urgency of formalizing training. The summit led to the creation of the Brain Stimulation Society, a new organization dedicated to developing unbiased, accredited subspecialty training.
Clinical Implications of Accreditation
Accrediting brain stimulation as a subspecialty will:
- Legitimize the field across psychiatry, neurology, and neurosurgery
- Improve consistency in clinical practice
- Encourage neuroscience integration into psychiatric training
- Enhance collaboration across disciplines
- Strengthen insurance support and reimbursement pathways
Dr. Siddiqi emphasized that the goal is not to restrict current practice but to offer new pathways for clinicians to gain comprehensive expertise. The accreditation application is expected to be submitted this year, with certification exams and training programs to follow.
Research: Expanding Applications of Brain Stimulation
Dr. Siddiqi’s team is also exploring new applications of brain stimulation, including:
- Personalized TMS targeting for anxiety and depression
- Circuit-based approaches for schizophrenia and cognitive disorders
- Pharmacological augmentation using NMDA receptor modulators like D-cycloserine
These innovations are entering clinical trials and showing promising results. For example, personalized TMS targeting has demonstrated improved outcomes compared to standard protocols, and new anxiety-specific targets are outperforming traditional depression targets.
Future Directions
The Brain Stimulation Society plans to host a third summit in Boston later this year and is developing educational materials for both medical doctors and allied professionals. While the subspecialty will initially be limited to physicians, future programs may include training for technicians and researchers working in the field.
To learn more about Dr. Siddiqi’s work and the future of brain stimulation, watch the full interview on neurocare’s YouTube channel.
