To report on a needs assessment survey of pre-clinical neuroscience courses in the United States (U.S.), in order to better understand the support and resources needed.

Effective pre-clinical neuroscience education is critical for all medical students to mitigate "neurophobia" and address shortfalls in the neurology workforce pipeline. Pre-clinical neuroscience course directors face many barriers that have not been formally assessed within the evolving landscape of medical education.

A survey developed by American Academy of Neurology (AAN) workgroups was distributed to 165 neuroscience course directors representing 132 unique allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in the U.S. from November 18, 2024 to January 25, 2025. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with Pearson chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests used to compare school types. AI tools Relative Insights and Copilot aided summarization of open-ended questions and manual edits were made.

Data were collected online with 54% individual (n=88) and 62% institutional response rates. 63% of respondents held a director role (n=55) and had been in their roles 0.5 to 30 years, with a median of 7 years. Although 49% received compensation (n=34), 25% of respondents received no compensation  (n=18). The majority of clinical content is incorporated into the pre-clinical course through clinical case application (97%) and clinical vignettes in lectures (93%). Various resources are used and 53% of respondents noted use of neuroscience curriculum guidelines. Respondents listed challenges in teaching including balancing content and time, student engagement, and integrating clinical content. Another significant challenge was noted in schools that lack content experts and required neurology clinical experiences.  

Survey results point to resource and institutional support necessary to implement pre-clinical neuroscience curricula aligned with recommended guidelines. Neuroscience course directors are committed to their roles and report successfully incorporating clinical content. These results can guide resource allocation to support neuroscience curricula that inspire future neurologists.