This project aims to implement a neuropalliative educational curriculum for University of Utah neurology residents.

Neuropalliative care is becoming an increasingly recognized subspecialty, with the AAN releasing a statement in March 2022 encouraging the practice and discussing the benefit of neuropalliative care. However, neuropalliative care is not an ACGME requirement for neurology resident education curricula, despite neurologic diagnoses often being life-changing, progressive, and with complex symptoms. Unlike traditional palliative care, neuropalliative care often requires counseling on unclear prognoses and a variety of symptom management not present in other disease states.

The curriculum will be based on modules created by the International Neuropalliative Care Society (INPCS). These modules were created by experts in the field and are designed to teach neuropalliative care to healthcare professionals. There are disease-specific modules ranging from topics including movement disorders, neuromuscular disorders, neuro-oncological conditions, and cerebrovascular events. Experts from each respective subspecialty will present a lecture on neuropalliative topics relevant to their field, including symptom management and counseling, during protected education time. Prior to implementing the curriculum, a survey will be sent to residents to assess comfort with neuropalliative topics. To encourage engagement, the survey will also ask for preference on disease-specific topics, and the curriculum will discuss the most requested topics.

Outcomes measured will include:

- Pre- and post-surveys regarding comfort of neuropalliative topics

- Attendance at sessions

- Qualitative data from post-curriculum surveys

This project aims to improve competency in neuropalliative management of patients with chronic neurologic diseases. Through dedicated curriculum, neurology residents will cultivate skills in symptom management and prognostication. We hope that a formal curriculum will empower neurology residents to improve overall quality of life for patients and their families and facilitate transitions of care with their patients living with chronic neurologic disease in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.