Neurophobia in Medical Students: Detection and Solutions

The insecurity and fear regarding the practice of neurology by medical students and newly graduated doctors are known as neurophobia. This condition contributes for relative paucity of neurologists and insecurity in the management of neurological diseases by doctors in primary health care.

Our aim is to identify the presence of neurophobia in medical students, determine its likely origin, and to propose solutions.

A cross-sectional, observational, noninterventionist, and quantitative study was performed between April 2022 and October 2023, using students in the 4th and 5th year of the medical course at university from the South of Brazil. A questionnaire was prepared using Google tool forms that were sent via a link to the academics' WhatsApp group, along with the Free and Informed Consent Form.

The study cohort comprised 100 students (60% female) aged between 19 and 39 years (mean 23 years). About 88% agreed that neurophobia exists and 80% considered it unlikely to specialize in neurology. The factors associated with neurophobia were: phobic comments from veterans (71%); separation between basic and clinical education (62%); lesser skill of teachers in teaching neurological semiology (55%); and lack of patients in outpatient clinics (54.5%). Eighty-five percent stated that neurophobia could be avoided by teaching neurophysiology aimed at general practitioners and 63% by increasing the course load. Neurophobia was significant in >22 years of age.

Neurophobia was present in the majority of the sample, associated with phobic comments from veterans, less skill on the part of teachers in teaching neurological semiology, separation of theoretical and practical teaching, and low course load. It is suggested that a reflection be made in the development of the neurology program that considers the training of a generalist doctor and that integrates theoretical knowledge with care activities.