Date Published: May 28, 2019
Contributing Authors: Ashley Walker, MD, Sussann Kotara, MD, Lindsey Pershern, MD, and Sean Wilkes, MD
Overview: We’re all interested in making sure our trainees get great neuroscience training. Just as with other topics, the neuroscience curriculum developer has some very difficult decisions to make about what to teach, how to teach it, when to teach it, and who will teach it. They must also consider how neuroscience fits in with the broader curriculum and experiences of a trainee, including both the didactic as well as clinical rotation schedules, in order to be most effective and relevant without being redundant. Additionally, the development of a program’s curriculum is highly individualized and must be tailored to each program’s aims and resources.
The NNCI has created a set of self-study materials meant to provide you with the opportunity to analyze the neuroscience curriculum you already have (if any), and create a plan to improve or develop your curriculum. The References handout includes instructions, examples, and other materials for use in this process; the Worksheets handout includes space to document your analysis, goals, and plans.
If you would prefer personalized assistance in developing or enhancing your program’s neuroscience curriculum, contact us at NNCIonline@gmail.com to request an individual Curriculum Consultation.
Author Affiliations: Dr. Walker is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma School of Community Medicine. Dr. Kotara is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. Dr. Pershern is the Associate Residency Training Director for Didactics and Research Track at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. Dr. Wilkes is an NNCI Scholar and psychiatrist in Tripler Army Medical Center, Hawaii.
Acknowledgements: Additional members of the curriculum task force include Drs. David A. Ross (Yale School of Medicine), Kristin Raj (Stanford University School of Medicine), Demian Rose (University of California, San Francisco), and Maggie Schneider (NNCI Scholar; Harvard Longwood).
The National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative is a collaborative effort with the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning and receives support from the NIH (R25 MH101076 02S1) ©National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative.
