Objective: To measure the impact of a junior resident education course focused on common movement disorders.

Background: Focus on Common Movement Disorders is a two-day course for first and second year neurology residents hosted by Vanderbilt University for the past 12 years. The goal of the course is to inspire junior neurology residents to select the field of movement disorders for specialty fellowship training. Participants are nominated by residency program directors from North American academic medical centers. Annually, 45 – 50 junior neurology residents participate in hands-on workshops and didactic lectures focused on the identification and treatment of Parkinson’s disease, spasticity, tremor, and dystonia.

Method: Pre and post course examination and participant survey.

Results: 594 neurology residents from 107 programs have attended the course since 2008. Of these, 102 participants completed a survey to ascertain fellowship training choices.  Survey responses showed that eighty-seven participants (85%) completed a fellowship, 47% of which were movement disorders fellowships. The majority (84%) reported that attending the course impacted their fellowship selection. Eighty-nine participants (87%) responded that their current practice includes patients with movement disorders.

Conclusion: These data demonstrate that an educational program directed at junior neurology residents improves medical knowledge concerning common movement disorders and positively influences the choice of movement disorders for specialty fellowship training.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/inspiring-neurology-residents-to-select-movement-disorders-fellowship-training/