Empowering Future Neurology Educators: Insights from the First Year of AAN’s Resident as Educator Training
Jorge Patino Murillas1, Dara Albert2, Suur Biliciler1, Miguel Chuquilin Arista3, Marie Eugene4, Taylor Harrison5, Doris Kung6, Joshua Luster7, Scott Otallah8, Adam Quick9, Igor Rybinnik10, Joseph Safdieh11, Erica Schuyler4, Madhu Soni12, Erin Furr-Stimming1
1UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, 2Nationwide Children's Hospital, 3Tallahassee Memorial Health, 4University of Connecticut Health Center, 5Emory University, 6Baylor College of Medicine, 7Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, 8Wake Forest, 9The Ohio State University, 10Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 11Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 12Rush University Medical Center
Objective:
To describe the outcomes from the first year of implementation of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Resident as Educator Training (RET) curriculum.
Background:
Neurology residents are expected to teach, but standardized programs on teaching skills are only available at some institutions. The AAN RET Workgroup created a series of webinars for resident members of the AAN interested in teaching and education.
Design/Methods:
Five synchronous and one asynchronous webinars were created. These addressed three levels of competency: (1) teaching skills, feedback, and role modeling; (2) learning theories, best evidence medical education, and reflective practice; and (3) educational leadership, scholarship, and mentoring. A survey about demographics and teaching skills was given before the first webinar. Participation was recorded on AAN NeuroTracker.
Results:
The survey got 49/105 responses (59% females and 59% younger than 30, mainly from Adult Neurology programs). Residents were at different levels of training, mainly PGY-2 (20%) and PGY-3 (37%); 45% were US medical school graduates, and 49% were non-US IMGs. Seventy-three percent did not have previous training in teaching skills, and 98% were interested in a career in medical education; 91% considered training in teaching as “very important.” The first, second, and third synchronous sessions were attended by 105, 49, and 40 participants, respectively, and 17 participants watched the fourth (asynchronous) session.
Conclusions:
Neurology residents recognize the importance of training on how to teach for their careers. A virtual educational series is a valuable tool to increase access and provide standardized training for future teachers and medical educators. The AAN RET serves as a resource for residency programs with no available formal education in teaching skills and a complimentary tool for those with institutional resident-as-educator tracks. The AAN RET Workgroup will focus on increasing the program's outreach with improved communication and collaboration with US neurology program directors.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.