Exploring perceptions of neuroscience learning among medical students of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras

Abstract

There is an increase in the prevalence of neurological disorders. An adequate training of medical neurology personnel is an imperative task. The phenomenon of neurophobia can affect proper learning and even aspirations to be a neurology specialist. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out through a questionnaire to evaluate the perception of students about medical specialties and factors that contribute to the difficulty of neurology. The questionnaire was distributed through social media groups of medical students. Excel was used for the management and tabulation of the answers obtained and SPSS for data analysis. Results. In relation to an interest in specialties (high interest), the most frequent specialties were cardiology 37.3% (22) and neurology 20.3% (15). The complexity of neuroanatomy 42.4% (25) and little contact with neurological patients 40.7% (24) were the factors that contributed to the difficulty of neurology. Conclusion. The traditional teacher-centered teaching model is prone to neglect essential tools such as neurology laboratories, standardized patient simulation, and essential contact with neurological patients. There is an important need to implement new teaching methodologies in neurology and greater contact with neurological patients.