Curriculum Innovation: A Master Clinician Residency Track in Neurology

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Neurology Training
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Traditional academic centers prioritize research and education over clinical excellence.
• Neurology residency programs often lack dedicated training for clinical mastery.
• A need exists for structured pathways to develop master clinicians in academic neurology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To equip neurology residents with foundational skills for academic careers focused on clinical mastery.
• To advance clinical acumen, diagnostic reasoning, and evidence-informed practice.
• To foster communication, professionalism, humanism, and leadership in complex healthcare systems.

Main Methods:

• A 6-month Master Clinician track was developed using the Kern six-step framework.
• The curriculum included didactics (e.g., cognitive bias, uncertainty), tailored rotations, reflective patient portfolios, and a scholarly project.
• Assessment involved exit surveys, portfolio audits, and 3-year post-track follow-up surveys.

Main Results:

• Five residents completed the track between 2017-2022 with high satisfaction ratings (≥4.6/5).
• Didactics on cognitive bias and teaching skills were rated highest.
• Most participants pursued academic clinical or clinician-educator roles post-residency.

Conclusions:

• A neurology residency track fostering clinical excellence through didactics, tailored experiences, and reflective practice was well-received.
• Neurology programs should consider implementing similar tracks to cultivate academic clinicians focused on patient care excellence.