Work

A Different Kind of Brain Mapping: Curriculum Mapping in Neurology Residency Education

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Objective We developed a curriculum map of the neurology residency program's academic half-day (AHD) at our institution from 2018 to 2024 to assess topic coverage and identify gaps relative to board certification content. Methods We cataloged 280 unique AHD lectures over 6 years, recording attributes including title, date, duration, speaker, and subspecialty. These were compared against the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) certification blueprint using chi-square analysis. Results The 280 lectures totaled 358.5 h. We found significant differences across multiple subspecialties. Content categorized as “Questions not associated with a specific neurologic disorder” (4.93%) was overrepresented ( P < .05), while topics on metabolic disorders (0.26%), psychiatric disorders (0%), and autonomic nervous system disorders (0%) were underrepresented ( P < .05). Conclusions Curriculum mapping revealed both strengths and gaps in the current didactic content, underscoring the need for more comprehensive and aligned curricular material. This process offers a data-driven framework for iterative curricular improvement and may serve as a replicable model for other neurology residency programs. Future efforts will focus on building a 2-year curriculum that aligns more closely with ABPN content specifications while considering institutional strengths and resources.

Source: Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development

DOI: 10.1177/23821205251405155

Authors: Saatvika Nair, Hayoung E. Ahn, Myung Shin Sim, Katherine A. Fu

Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

Language: English

Topic: Innovations in Medical Education

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,500