Advancing neurosurgery education in junior doctors and medical students – A neurosurgery virtual lecture series

BACKGROUND: Exposure to neurosciences, especially neurosurgery, in UK medical schools is limited and variable. This combined with the fact that neurology and neurosurgery have been perceived as notoriously difficult subjects could negatively affect confidence and efficiency in junior doctors when assessing and managing patients with neurosurgical conditions. This study aims to assess the impact of a neurosurgery virtual lecture series on foundation doctors' and medical students’ confidence and knowledge in the assessment and management of neurosurgical patients. METHODS: Six virtual lectures were delivered via Zoom weekly between October and November 2020 covering lesion localisation, neuroradiology, neurosurgical emergencies, trauma assessment, and neuro-ICU. Data was collected relating to participants’ pre- and post-lecture self-perceived confidence levels and performance of five SBA questions, lecture series satisfaction, and feedback. RESULTS: 31 participants in a district general hospital attended the virtual lecture series (17 foundation doctors and 14 medical students). Pre-lecture, foundation doctors felt significantly more confident than medical students in trauma assessment, spinal emergencies and neurointensive care medicine. In all lectures, participants' median confidence levels improved significantly post-lecture (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the performance of pre-lecture SBA questions between foundation doctors and medical students in all but one lecture, which was the neuro-ICU lecture where foundation doctors scored better (3.0 vs 1.0, p = 0.012). In both cohorts, the participants’ median scores in SBA questions (objective marker of knowledge improvement) increased significantly post-lecture in all lectures. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that this neurosurgery virtual lecture series that was focused and low-cost was well received, improved knowledge and confidence of junior doctors and medical students in assessing and managing neurosurgical patients. Future expansion of this lecture series into regional or national initiative can further increase exposure to neurosurgery, ultimately improving the care of neurosurgical patients.