Curriculum Innovations: A Novel Neurology Clinician-Educator Program

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurology Training
• Faculty Development

Background:

• Neurology residents often lack formal training in medical education despite being frontline teachers.
• There is a need for structured programs to enhance teaching skills and educational leadership in neurology residents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and pilot a Neurology Clinician-Educator Program (NCEP) to improve resident satisfaction and teaching skills.
• To enhance residents' ability to transition into clinician-educator roles post-training.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal curriculum (NCEP) was implemented for senior neurology residents.
• The program utilized experiential learning theory with didactic and application formats over two 3-week immersive experiences.
• Outcomes were assessed via pre/post surveys and faculty-guided self-assessment of ACGME Clinician Educator Milestones.

Main Results:

• Resident satisfaction with teaching skill development increased significantly (33% to 64%, p=0.032).
• Satisfaction with transitioning to clinician-educator roles improved significantly (29% to 68%, p=0.007).
• 14 of 20 ACGME Clinician Educator Milestone domains showed significant improvement among NCEP participants.

Conclusions:

• The novel NCEP curriculum was successfully implemented for neurology residents.
• The program enhanced resident satisfaction, educational skills, and led to practical application through capstone projects.
• This curriculum provides a model for training future clinician-educators in neurology.