ReviewBrain & spine2024
Neurophobia amongst medical students: Hype or reality.
Review in Brain & spine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- TBL alone or combined with other teaching methods for neurology education in China: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC medical education · 2026Pooled it
- Perceptions of neurology and neurologists among medical students in Finland-a pilot survey of "neurophobia".Journal of neurology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
17 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: 'Neurophobia' is a well reported phenomenon in the literature where in medical students and junior doctors have an inherent nervousness or 'fear' of neurology and neurosurgery Research question: Why do less medical students choose neurology and neurosurgery as a career and identify if neurophobia is an ingrained belief or learned behaviour? Materials and methods: We developed a questionnaire to assess medical student views and beliefs in connection with a career in neurosurgery. Specifically we examined the following domains: considering a career in neurology and neurosurgery, confidence with neuro anatomy and pathology, traits associated with neurosurgeons and neurologists and finally, their perceived barriers to a neuro career. Results: 264 medical students completed the survey. Students from fourteen different medical schools across the world responded, with the highest number of students being from Irish medical schools. Over half of participants (58%) felt that neurology is an intimidating module and/or career choice while a huge 80% felt neurosurgery was an intimidating choice.We believe our research appears to be the first to open the survey to students across the world, with no limitations placed on region. Discussion and conclusion: Neurophobia is not limited to any one geographical region, age group or gender. It appears to be mainly be driven by an intimidation of the complex nature of neuroanatomy and neuropathology. This negative perspective can be further enhanced when students go on to have a negative experience on clinical attachments.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.