Abstract Details

Title Top 5 Reasons Not to Choose Neurology as a Career

Topic Research Methodology, ��ɫ��, and History

Presentation(s) P2 - Poster Session 2 (5:30 PM-6:30 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 4-037

Objective To understand what influences medical students to choose a career in neurology and what deters students from becoming neurologists.

Background There is a rising burden of neurological disease, with an increasing need for a larger neurology workforce. Neurophobia was first defined as a common ailment among medical students in 1994 as, “a fear of the neural sciences and clinical neurology that is due to the students’ inability to apply their knowledge of basic sciences to clinical situations”.

Design/Methods We used SurveyMonkey to send an anonymous questionnaire to all fourth year medical students of the academic years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 at Boston University School of Medicine. The survey assessed personal and academic attributes of the medical students, as well as major factors that influenced them to apply (or not) to neurology.

Results We have collected 50 complete responses to our survey. Students who applied to neurology (N = 9) described themselves as calm, curious, and introspective; 4/9 had a background in neuroscience; they were attracted to the puzzle, complexity, and the neurological examination; 3rd year clerkship experience was crucial in their decision-making. Students who did not apply to neurology (N = 41) described themselves as active, fun, outgoing; 4/41 had a background in neuroscience; they were deterred by the limited treatment options for chronic conditions, the slow disorder work-up pace, and challenging neuroanatomy. Both groups viewed work-life balance as very important to them and earning potential is only moderately important to them.

Conclusions Our results help elucidate the major factors contributing to neurophobia, and targeting these factors, some of which are myths, promises to increase recruitment into the fascinating field of neurology.

Authors/Disclosures
Okeanis Vaou, MD, FAAN (UT San Antonio) PRESENTER	Dr. Vaou has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as a Consultant for ABBVIE. Dr. Vaou has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Abbvie. Dr. Vaou has received personal compensation in the range of $5,000-$9,999 for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Medtronic . Dr. Vaou has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving on a Speakers Bureau for medtronic. An immediate family member of Dr. Vaou has stock in SAGE. The institution of Dr. Vaou has received research support from Medtronic.
Elie Sader, MD	No disclosure on file

��ɫ����

��ɫ����

��ɫ��

��ɫ��