The neurological examination is the most lengthy and demanding component of a complete physical examination. It presents a significant challenge to teach to medical students in a large classroom setting. The process is hampered by the need to demonstrate numerous maneuvers, most of which require close proximity to the patient. In order to recognize abnormal findings, students must first master numerous skills in order to build a repertoire of the normal spectrum of findings. This requires repetitive training and unless the examination is properly learned from the start, the findings generated by poor technique will be of little help in localizing lesions and establishing a correct diagnosis.

We developed a web-based instructional video designed for first year medical students to complement concurrent formal training of the neurological examination by experts in small group training sessions. The neurological examination video is divided into cranial nerves, motor, sensory, stance and gait. Text, figures, tables, photographs, illustrations, and a glossary accompany detailed video demonstration of a patient with normal findings being examined by a neurologist. The teaching tool was introduced to 190 first year medical students in 2001 and feedback from the students has been very positive.

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION:

The demonstration will be of benefit to those in medical education planning to teach aspects of the physical examination (especially the neurological examination) to undergraduate medical students. The web-based tool demonstrates not only how to best display step-by-step techniques of the neurological examination, but also includes a successful design of multi-modal teaching.

Marika J. Hohol
St. Michael's Hospital
55 Queen St. East, Suite 943
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5C 1R6
Phone: 416 864-5533
Fax: 416 864-5610
Email: hoholm@smh.toronto.on.ca

CO-AUTHORS:

1. Dr. Patricia A. Stewart, Professor, Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto 2. Jodie Jenkinson, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Communications, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Faculty of Medicine
Medical Sciences Building
1 King's College Circle
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 1A8
Phone: Dr. Stewart: 416 978-8963
Jodie Jensinson: 416 978-1714
Email: p.stewart@utoronto.ca
j.jenkinson@utoronto.ca