Curriculum Innovation: The Impact and Benefits of Cross-Disciplinary Educational Collaboration Between a Department of Neurology and Department of Drama.

Introduction and Problem Statement: Simulation-based education is increasingly used in neurology training. Incorporating drama students as simulated patients and family members is a feasible approach to high-fidelity simulation, but formal evaluations and longitudinal outcomes of cross-disciplinary educational collaborations are limited. To address this gap, our neurology and drama departments jointly developed a simulation curriculum and assessment of its impact on educational outcomes of residents, and healthcare perception and performance skills of drama students. Objectives: Objectives of the curriculum were to provide hands-on practice with direct feedback, build confidence in skills and knowledge, foster long-term changes in behaviors and attitudes, evaluate cross-disciplinary simulation as an instructional method, and establish collaborative simulation-based education. Methods and Curriculum Description: A needs assessment of residents, alumni, faculty, and stakeholders informed curriculum development for neurology residency and undergraduate drama programs. Faculty-senior resident dyads developed inpatient and outpatient simulation scenarios. Drama students received presimulation coaching and portrayed patients and family members. Both groups participated in joint debriefings. We assessed educational outcomes using immediate and follow-up surveys, analyzing quantitative data descriptively and qualitative responses via directed content and thematic analysis using the Kirkpatrick framework. Results and Assessment Data: From June 2023 to December 2025, 41 neurology residents participated in 40 simulations as observers or active participants. The simulations incorporated 32 drama students. A total of 258 postsession evaluations were collected from residents and faculty and demonstrated high curriculum effectiveness with 83% to 91% of neurology residents and 98% to 100% of faculty recommending outpatient and inpatient simulations, respectively. Follow-up surveys were submitted by 61% of neurology residents and 62% of drama students. More than two-thirds (80%) of residents reported encountering at least 1 clinical case resembling a simulation within the subsequent 3 to 12 months, providing greater confidence in counseling patients and interpreting diagnostics. The vast majority (93%) of drama students recommended participation, 68% reported using skills developed during simulation in subsequent performances, and 85% reported a positive shift in perspective of healthcare professionals. Discussion and Lessons Learned: This simulation curriculum was associated with high learner satisfaction and perceived long-term transfer of clinical, communication, and performance skills among neurology residents and drama students. Our findings suggest cross-disciplinary simulation supports learning for both groups and provides a replicable model for collaborative neurology education.