Enhancing medical student neuroscience training with a team-based learning curriculum (P4-2.005)

Abstract

<h3>Objective:</h3> To assess the effects of a transition to clinician-educators and active learning in a pre-clinical neuropathology curriculum. <h3>Background:</h3> Neurophobia, the fear of and dislike of clinical neurology, is frequently due to poor experiences in pre-clinical neuroscience education. Methods to mitigate neurophobia include increasing active learning, engaging clinicians, and demonstrating clinical relevance. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> We identified an under-performing neuropathology curriculum within a second-year medical student neuroscience course and implemented a traditional team-based learning curriculum to deliver this content. In addition, we transitioned to primarily clinician-led lectures. We assessed student opinions of the curricular changes through end-of-course feedback, a novel survey, and semi-structured interviews with students. We assessed outcomes on course examinations and overall course performance, comparing performance in the pre-implementation phase (2020–2021) to the post-implementation phase (2021–2022) using a two-sample t-test. <h3>Results:</h3> Student opinions of the curricular changes were positive on the end-of-course evaluation (79.4% rated team-based learning as good or excellent) and novel survey (89–96% of students rated the portions of the curriculum positively). Themes identified in qualitative analysis included an appreciation of streamlined course content and a sense that the sessions within the curriculum reinforced learning. Student performance on the final examination was similar in the pre-implementation vs post-implementation phases (81.2% correct vs 80.3% correct; p=0.37). Performance on the neuropathology subsection of the final examination was also similar (82.6% correct vs 83.9% correct; p=0.36). <h3>Conclusions:</h3> We demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a transition to neurologist and neurosurgeon-led lectures and the implementation of a team-based learning curriculum within a neuroscience course. While we report data from implementation at a single center, these results have relevance to other courses given our demonstration that team-based learning is a useful method to deliver neuroscience learning, non-pathologist lecturers can effectively provide neuropathology education, and a small number of educational faculty can be engaged to deliver this material. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Tarolli has received personal compensation for serving as an employee of University of Rochester. The institution of Dr. Tarolli has received research support from Biosensics. The institution of Dr. Tarolli has received research support from National Institutes of Health. The institution of Dr. Tarolli has received research support from Biogen. Dr. Tarolli has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Speaker with Davis Phinney Foundation. Dr. Tarolli has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Speaker, Committee Member with American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Tarolli has a non-compensated relationship as a Committee Member with American Academy of Neurology that is relevant to AAN interests or activities. Dr. Jozefowicz has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for American Academy of Neurology.