Objective: To assess the needs and describe the initial implementation of a movement disorders curriculum for neurology residents.

Background: Approximately 42 million people in the US have a movement disorder and the prevalence is increasing. This underscores the need for movement disorders training during neurology residency; however, this remains limited. To maximize the educational value of a curriculum, it is crucial to understand the residents’ needs and interest in movement disorders. We present the needs assessment results and describe the initial implementation of a movement disorders curriculum for neurology residents.

Method: An anonymous 12-item electronic survey was administered to neurology residents at LSUHSC-S between October and November 2024 to assess their perceptions and needs for movement disorders training. Subsequently, a movement disorders curriculum was implemented with monthly didactic lectures totaling 8 sessions. A follow-up survey will be conducted in June 2025 to evaluate shifts in residents’ perceptions and gather feedback.

Results: Fifteen out of 19 (79%) neurology residents completed the pre-curricular survey. Eight (53%) expressed interest in movement disorders and 4 (26%) indicated an intention to pursue fellowship in this field. Only 2 (13%) rated their movement disorders training as adequate. Nine (60%) reported frequently encountering patients with movement disorders, while 4 (26%) felt comfortable diagnosing and treating them. The residents identified the following challenges for their movement disorders training: didactic lectures (93%), clinical exposure (66%), hands-on workshops (60%), mentorship (60%) and research opportunities (26%). The movement disorders curriculum was launched in November 2024 and the lectures will continue through June 2025.

Conclusion: Our needs assessment revealed gaps in the movement disorders training for neurology residents. Didactic lectures was the most commonly reported challenge. While most indicated frequently encountering patients with movement disorders, clinical exposure was identified as a challenge, suggesting that encounters may not result in effective learning. More than half of residents reported interest in movement disorders, representing an opportunity to increase the fellowship application rate. These results have been used to implement the movement disorders curriculum and will help develop future educational initiatives.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/needs-assessment-and-initial-implementation-of-a-movement-disorders-curriculum-for-neurology-residents/