To present the transition of an adult neurology residency program from traditional noon conference lectures to an academic half day-based curriculum and its effects on the performance on the Residency In-Service Training Examination (RITE) and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical ºÃÉ«ÏÈÉú (ACGME) resident survey.   

It is difficult to obtain a satisfactory, comprehensive, and protected environment for residents with traditional noon-conference based lectures. Few neurology programs have transitioned to an academic half day curriculum.  

The transition began in July 2019 with a mandatory, weekly, 4-hour lecture series consisting of formal lectures provided by attending physicians and PGY-4 neurology residents, review questions, and resident development training. The curriculum focused on core topics in adult neurology using various resources. The transition’s success was measured by improvement in the residents’ RITE scores and ACGME resident survey from 2016 to 2021.      

A preliminary univariate analysis of RITE exam scores using Mann-Whitney method compared RITE scores between PGY years before and after implementation of academic half day. There was an improvement in median RITE exam scores among PGY-2 (51%vs 60%, p=0.020), PGY-3 (55% vs 68% p=0.047), and PGY-4 (63% vs 70% p=0.007).

The ACGME resident survey educational content section included “appropriate balance for education”, “education not compromised by service obligations”, and “provided data about practice habits” among others. This neurology residency program ranked educational content 80.5 in 2016, 72.1 in 2017, 57.4 in 2018, 47.1 in 2019, to an improved 74.2 in 2020, and 68.8 in 2021.  

In conclusion, the Academic Half Day based curriculum appeared to improve the residents’ response to the “educational content” of the ACGME resident survey along with preliminary improvement in RITE exam scores.