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Abstract

Introduction: Neurophobia has contributed to the shortage of neurologists nationally, especially given the lack of integration between basic neural sciences and clinical neurology. Neurophobia may be highest after the pre-clerkship course, and there is evidence to suggest that early and broad clinical neurology exposure and mentorship are the leading factors in choosing the field of neurology. The goal of this study was to develop a fellowship for pre-clerkship medical students to increase early exposure to diverse clinical settings and socialization in neurology and assess whether there was change in neurophobia.

Methods: A two-week long pilot summer fellowship was designed using co-constructed developmental teaching theory for students conducting summer research. Neurophobia was measured using an adapted version of the NeuroQ survey before and after the program, along with open-form feedback. Change of total neurophobia scores was assessed using a paired t-test. 

Results: Of the nine students who participated in the summer fellowship, four students completed the survey. There was a significant decrease in total neurophobia score post-fellowship compared to pre-fellowship (p=0.01). With a maximum possible total score of 35, the average score drop was 4.75. Most students perceived their neurological knowledge to be improved and rated the experience positively. Major themes in the feedback session included the variety of patients and the broad exposure to various aspects of neurology.

Discussion: Implementation of a personalized pre-clerkship shadowing and research program is feasible for neurology departments across various institutions. Future studies should incorporate larger sample sizes and long-term outcomes.

Key Words: Neurophobia, Early Clinical Exposure, Pre-Clerkship Medical Students, Co-Constructed Developmental Teaching Theory

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