CHALLENGES IN THE TEACHING OF NEUROLOGY: PERCEPTIONS OF PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS OF A BRAZILIAN MEDICAL COURSE

Abstract

Neurology is often considered the most challenging medical specialty, contributing to a phenomenon known as neurophobia, characterized by the fear and insecurity of students and physicians when dealing with neurological topics. This exploratory qualitative study investigated the perceptions of professors and students of a Brazilian medical course about the teaching of neurology, with the objective of identifying challenges and proposing strategies for improvement. The research was carried out in a public course with a spiral modular curriculum. Focus groups were used for data collection, bringing together 16 participants (10 students and six professors). The data were analyzed using the content analysis technique. The results showed difficulties related to the integration between theory and practice, condensed contents, and the lack of practical exposure to neurological patients. Professors reported insecurity when approaching content outside their specialization, while students demonstrated low confidence in performing neurological exams and in the management of neurological complaints. The lack of integration between neuroscience and clinical neurology professors was also highlighted as a detrimental factor to learning. As proposals for improvement, the need for greater exposure of students to clinical cases (real or simulated), the use of active methodologies and greater integration between basic and clinical contents emerged. This study points to the relevance of educational strategies aimed at minimizing neurophobia and improving the teaching of neurology, contributing to the formation of more confident and qualified physicians. Future studies may expand these approaches to other institutions and contexts.