Resident Perceptions of a Teleneurology Curriculum
Shivika Chandra1, Alicia Zha2, Rohini Samudralwar3, Shima Bozorgui1, Ieshia Deal1, Abigail Betner1, Amanda Jagolino-Cole1
1McGovern Medical School/University of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, 2The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 3University of Pennsylvania
Objective:

To evaluate resident perceptions of a longitudinal teleneurology curriculum.

Background:

Thirty residents (post-graduate year two through four) participated in a novel year-long teleneurology curriculum, including lectures, interactive workshops, online modules, and level-specific simulated cases with standardized patients.

Design/Methods:

We administered an anonymous Qualtrics survey to participating residents at curriculum initiation and completion, assessing their perspectives on teleneurology education.

Results:

Ten residents completed the initial and 13 completed the follow-up survey (response rate 30% and 43%, respectively). Compared to prior, after the curriculum residents perceived lectures and informal attending feedback less useful (70% to 23%, and 90% to 77%, respectively). Online modules and simulated cases were perceived equally as useful (30% to 23% and 40% to 46%, respectively) before and after the curriculum, although formal clinical attending evaluations associated with simulations were perceived more useful (50% to 61%). Respondents also shifted in self-perception of teleneurology knowledgeability, from not at all/slightly knowledgeable to moderately/extremely knowledgeable, particularly regarding medico-legal issues (40% to 51%), ethics (50% to 69%), infrastructure (40% to 61%), and billing (20% to 38%), however not selection of appropriate patient conditions for teleneurology (70% to 69%). Respondents had no overall change in self-perceived confidence in teleneurology clinical competencies after the curriculum, including technology use (90% to 92%), telepresence and rapport (100% to 92%), examination, diagnosis, and triage (overall, 93% to 91%), and efficiency (80% to 77%). They were less confident in educating patients on teleneurology encounter set-up (80% to 69%), and more so in documentation (80% to 93%) and collaborating remotely with medical teams (50% to 61%).

Conclusions:

Although limited by sample size and survey response rate, our findings have guided educational content and delivery, and allocation of faculty efforts and workflow, in a subsequent teleneurology curriculum iteration. Similar multi-center curricular evaluation may suggest necessary updates in residency milestones inclusive of teleneurology knowledge and skills.

10.1212/WNL.0000000000202700