Lectures by neurosurgery and neurology faculty at U.S. medical schools

The lecture activity of neurology and neurosurgery faculty at allopathic medical schools during the academic years 1985-1986 through 1987-1988 was surveyed. Lectures were categorized into three combinations for analysis: first- and second-year basic science, first- and second-year clinical, and third- and fourth-year clinical lectures. Both faculties delivered more hours of clinical than basic science lectures, and this held true at most schools. Neurology provided lectures at more schools in each of these categories, as well as offering more hours of lecture per student (school medians: 11.5, 18.0, 13.8) than did neurosurgery (school medians: 6.0, 5.5, 8.0). However, neurology faculty number two-and-a-half times neurosurgery faculty. Lectures given per teaching neurology faculty member (12.2) averaged approximately the same as per teaching neurosurgery faculty member (11.5). Increased exposure to the lectures of neurology or neurosurgery faculty did not increase subsequent student enrollment in a first clinical clerkship in that discipline when students had a choice of clerkships.