Neurophobia Inception: A Study of Trainees' Perceptions of Neurology Education

Abstract

Objectives:We wanted to examine the extent to which “neurophobia” exists among medical students and determine if students’ perceptions of neurology differ by year of study while exploring the factors that contribute to the development of “neurophobia”.Methods:We used a two-phase, sequential, mixed-methods explanatory design in this single centre study. Phase 1 involved the collection and analysis of a questionnaire administered to students in the first three years of medical school. Phase 2 involved focus groups of a subgroup of students who demonstrated evidence of neurophobia in Phase 1.Results:In total, 187 (39 %) undergraduate medical trainees responded to the questionnaire (response rates of 37%, 44% and 19% for first-, second- and third-year students, respectively). 24% of respondents indicated that they were afraid of clinical neurology and 32% were afraid of the academic neurosciences. Additionally, 46% of respondents thought that clinical neurology is one of the most difficult disciplines in medicine. Phase 2 findings revealed that many students reported negative preconceptions about neurology and commented on neurology’s difficulty. Some experienced changes in these conceptions following their neurology block. Past clinical, educational, and personal experiences in neurology impacted their comfort level.Conclusions:This study shows that the level of comfort towards clinical neurology increases following students’ participation in second-year neurology blocks, but that third-year students continue to show signs of neurophobia with lower comfort levels. It provides insight into why neurophobia exists amongst medical students and sheds light on pre-existing and emerging factors contributing to this sense of neurophobia.

Understanding neurophobia: Reasons behind impaired understanding and learning of neuroanatomy in cross‐disciplinary healthcare students

“…Overall, neuroanatomy is consistently cited as one of the most challenging portions of the anatomical sciences curriculum by medical students and junior physicians alike (Jilwan et al, ). Further evidence from the literature suggests that this poor understanding of neuroanatomy leads to a dislike or fear of the subject in clinicians and trainees (Schon et al, ; Flanagan et al, ; Ridsdale et al, ; Lim and Seet, ; Hudson, ; Youssef, ; Sanya et al, ; Zinchuk et al, ; Gupta et al, ; Kam et al, ; Matthias et al, ; Fantaneanu et al, ; McCarron et al, ; Pakpoor et al, ; Abushouk and Duc, ). The term “neurophobia” was first coined by Jozefowicz to describe this fear of the neural sciences and their clinical application in neurology (Jozefowicz, ).…”

“…Previous studies focused mainly on clinical neurology and alluded to an impaired understanding of neuroanatomy in the broader context of difficulties associated with practicing clinical neurology. In particular, Fantaneanu and colleagues identified a number of modifiable (such as timing of delivery) and unmodifiable (such as past exposure or preconceptions) risk factors associated with the onset of neurophobia and suggest acting on modifiable ones to reduce its prevalence (Fantaneanu et al, ). Moreover, while a comprehensive survey revealed very few positive outcomes (McColgan et al, ), potential strategies to reduce neurophobia have started to emerge from systematic studies (McColgan et al, ; Abushouk and Duc, ).…”

Immersive and interactive virtual reality to improve learning and retention of neuroanatomy in medical students: a randomized controlled study

“…[11][12][13][14] One potential factor contributing to this is a phenomenon coined "neurophobia," a perceived reluctance of medical students to learn or relearn neuroanatomy. [15][16][17][18][19] In an effort to diminish neurophobia and improve spatial and 3-dimensional neuroanatomy learning, 3-dimensional strategies have been proposed. 3,[20][21][22] Several studies have shown that 3-dimensional neuroanatomical learning is an effective strategy for increasing neuroanatomical knowledge, motivation and retention of neuroanatomy material.…”

Medical students’ experience of emotions and success in neurological studies – What do they tell us?

“…The methodology used in this study is new in the field of neurological pedagogic research [33]. A content analysis is considered a useful tool for examining trends and patterns and provides a basis for monitoring shifts in attitudes [19, 20] and it is also a powerful data-reduction technique.…”