Updates on Neuro Day: An Innovative Educational Intervention Connecting Patients and Medical Trainees
Jessica Frey1, Brandon Neeley1, Gabriella Casinelli1, Benjamin Paserba1, Delanie Talkington1, Patrick Sheehan1, Bruce Palmer1, James Lewis1, Amelia Adcock1, Eric Seachrist1, Ann Murray1, Gauri Pawar1
1West Virginia University
Objective:
To provide early clinical exposure to neurologic diseases, create authentic patient-teacher experiences, and increase interest in studying neurology.
Background:
Neurophobia is a barrier for medical trainees seeking out a future career in neurology. Using innovating strategies to strengthen interactions between patients and medical students may help to dispel misinformation about neurologic treatment options and patient outcomes and increase interest in pursuing a career in neurology.
Design/Methods:
In this updated iteration of Neuro Day, a mock patient rounds was instituted for first-year medical students. Small groups of medical students rotated from room to room to complete ten different stations. Eight stations consisted of patients with real neurologic diseases in which the patients shared their personal experience with their disease followed by a neurology physician discussing the pathophysiology and highlighting clinically relevant exam findings. The remaining two stations allowed medical students to practice neurologic examination techniques. Students were surveyed before and after Neuro Day. Paired T-test was used for statistical analysis and thematic analysis was used for free response.
Results:
Following Neuro Day, there were several statistically significant results, including: 1) increased interest in pursuing neurology for residency (p=0.017); 2) improved perception of patient outcomes (p=0.0001) and treatment options (p=6.4*10-12); 3) increased value placed on case discussions (p=0.027), clinical skills demonstrations (p=0.027), and patient encounters (p=1.16*10-6) to teach neurology; 4) increased interest in studying neurology (p=0.003), increased comfort level with performing a neurologic exam (p=1.15*10-6), and increased interest in pursuing neurology as a career (p=0.023). Thematic analysis revealed Neuro Day helped to reinforce course content, improved resiliency and burnout, and was recommended by medical students to be adapted for other medical school courses.
Conclusions:
This updated version of Neuro Day was well-received by medical students and continues to be a feasible teaching paradigm to increase interest in neurology.