Neurophobia and Interest in Neurology as a Future Career Among Hispanic Medical Students
Carlos Rodriguez Alarcon1, Danny Japon1, Daniella Bustamante1, Daniel Ocampo1, Linker Viñan Paucar1, Presley Gruezo1, Mauro López1, Ricardo Murguia Fuentes2
1Universidad Catolica Santiago de Guayaquil, 2SUNY Downstate Medical School
Objective:
This study aims to explore the association between neurophobia and the likelihood of selecting neurology as a future career among Hispanic medical students at different stages of their training, including preclinical, clinical, and intern phases.
Background:
Neurophobia, defined as the fear of neurology due to its perceived complexity, is a widespread issue among medical students and may significantly impact their career choices. Addressing this fear is crucial for ensuring that neurology, a key field in medicine, attracts sufficient future specialists.
Design/Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students from various universities in Ecuador, who were grouped into preclinical, clinical, and internship categories. Neurophobia was assessed using the Neuro-Q test, while students’ interest in neurology as a career was evaluated using a Likert scale. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were applied to determine the association between neurophobia and career interest in neurology. Pearson’s and Spearman's correlation were used to measure the strength of the relationship between neurophobia and interest in neurology, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05.
Results:
Out of 209 students (mean age 20.82 ± 2.82 years, 62.6% female), 31.6% demonstrated neurophobia. Pearson Chi-Square test (χ² = 15.877, p = 0.007) and Fisher’s exact test (p = 0.010) revealed a significant relationship between neurophobia and neurology as a future career. Students with neurophobia were less likely to select neurology as their top career choice (5 out of 23) compared to those without neurophobia (18 out of 23). A significant negative correlation between neurophobia and career interest was identified (Pearson’s R = -0.197, p = 0.004; Spearman's R = -0.195, p = 0.005).
Conclusions:
Neurophobia has a significant impact on students' career preferences, deterring them from choosing neurology. Educational reforms that reduce the perceived complexity of neurology could help alleviate neurophobia and increase interest in this critical specialty among medical students.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.