2025 American Academy of Neurology Abstract Website

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a hands-on nerve lesion workshop in enhancing student comprehension and long-term retention of nerve lesion etiology and clinical presentations within the anatomical science curriculum at VCOM-Auburn.

Background:

Peripheral nerve injuries are a common clinical presentation encountered in medical practice, often resulting in significant functional impairments and complex diagnostic challenges. However, due to their complex pathophysiology and varied clinical presentations, nerve lesions can be particularly challenging for students to grasp in the early stages of learning. Traditional classroom lectures may not adequately foster understanding of nerve lesions, making hands-on or kinesthetic learning methods essential for enhancing comprehension and long-term retention.

Design/Methods:

Workshops included a review of nerve lesions using PowerPoint presentations and board-style questions, followed by role-playing activities simulating clinical scenarios in which students acted out the associated nerve injury. Student confidence in identifying nerve lesions was measured before and after the workshop using a 10-point Likert scale. Board-style question accuracy was also measured. Students were retested four weeks later during a second workshop. Ethics permission was granted by the VCOM IRB to collect and analyze data for the purpose of program evaluation

Results:

Workshop 1 had 40 participants. Confidence increased significantly from a mean of 3.95 (SD=1.518) to 7.20 (SD=1.506) (p=0.006, d=2.15). Accuracy on board-style questions improved from 50.0% (SD=25.2%) to 93.5% (SD=12.3%) (p=0.002, d=2.194). Workshop 2 had 22 participants (16 repeat attendees). Confidence rose from 5.36 (SD=1.399) to 7.455 (SD=1.143) (p=0.057, d=1.637), and question accuracy increased from 73.6% (SD=22.6%) to 65.0% (SD=22.5%) after four weeks (p=0.060, d=0.628).

Conclusions:

These results underscore the effectiveness of hands-on learning in fostering both immediate comprehension and confidence in medical students. Overall, these findings support the integration of hands-on educational techniques, especially for enhancing understanding and confidence in complex neurological topics like peripheral nerve injuries.