ArticleCureus2025
A Vignette-Based Educational Intervention to Reduce Neurophobia and Improve Knowledge for the UK Medical Licensing Assessment: A Prospective Pilot Study.
Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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3 authors.
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Abstract
introductionNeurophobia, an aversion to clinical neurology, undermines medical education and may affect patient safety. The UK Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) emphasizes vignette-based Single Best Answer (SBA) items, requiring practice in applied clinical reasoning. We developed a compact, MLA-aligned educational intervention to reduce neurophobia by improving confidence and knowledge.
methodsUsing the Model for Improvement, we produced a 34-page booklet and delivered a 90-min, resident-led, interactive session across two plan-do-study-act cycles at a district general hospital (QIP: 25-586). Sixteen students participated (two cohorts, n=8 each), completing paired pre- and post-session assessments. While limited by a small sample size, this pilot supports proof of concept and warrants multicenter evaluation to strengthen generalizability. The primary outcome was self-rated confidence (five-point Likert). The secondary outcome, assessed in cycle 2, was knowledge measured by a six-item SBA test. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared paired scores; effect sizes were reported as [Formula: see text]. Cronbach's alpha assessed reliability.
resultsBoth cycles produced significant confidence gains. In cycle 1, median confidence rose from 2.5 (IQR: 2.0-3.0) to 4.0 (IQR: 4.0-4.25) (p<0.05; |r|=0.90). In cycle 2, confidence rose from 3.0 (IQR: 2.0-3.0) to 5.0 (IQR: 4.75-5.0) (p<0.01; |r|=0.89). In cycle 2, mean SBA scores improved from 25.0% (SD: 8.33) to 97.9% (SD: 5.5) (p<0.01; |r|=0.90). The SBA tool showed acceptable reliability (Cronbach's α=0.76). Five of six items reached 100% correct post-session; the sixth reached 87.5%.
conclusionA single, low-resource, MLA-aligned session significantly improved medical students' confidence and objective knowledge in neurology. Conducted as a prospective pilot study using QI methodology, it demonstrates proof of concept and supports wider evaluation including multicenter trials and delayed retention testing to mitigate neurophobia and strengthen workforce readiness.
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