To characterize the content, learner audience, and types of research methods in accepted manuscripts to the Neurology Education journal in its first year of publishing.

The Neurology Education journal launched over 1 year ago with first published article in September 2022. This peer reviewed journal is the only journal dedicated to the science of teaching and learning specific to the clinical neurosciences. The aim of this study is to outline gaps in publishing and identify opportunities to address content and methods gaps.

All manuscripts submitted from April 2022 to May 2023 were independently reviewed by 3 members of the Trainee Editorial Board (PG, CL, DDL). Each article was coded in three areas: (1)content focus of the article, (2)target learner audience studied, and (3)type of intervention. Descriptive analysis was performed. 

A focused analysis was performed of the first 29 published Education Research(ER) and Curriculum Innovation(CI) submissions. The content of research was non-traditional learning methods (62%), workforce development (24%), and trainee program structure (21%). Residents were the most common learner group studied (83%) followed by medical students (31%) and fellows (24%). Only 3% of studies included continuing professional development/faculty learners. Among accepted CI manuscripts 56% utilized more than one type of curricular intervention. Of the 9 unique curriculum intervention categories identified, the 3 most common were E-Learning (56%), Peer Assisted Learning (33%), and Bedside teaching (33%). Among ER manuscripts the most common methodology employed was a survey based study (95%).

Survey studies were the most common study type submitted as an ER article. Studies focusing on graduate and undergraduate medical education were the most common. Several gaps in the current education research literature in neurology exist including (1)studies on early neurological pipeline and pathways, (2)studies on continuing professional development/medical education for neurologists, (3)studies on faculty development programs, and (4)controlled and quasi-experimental studies.