Neuroscience Near-Peer-Led Flipped Classroom Improves Student Confidence With Clinical Application of Content and Test-Taking Skills.

INTRODUCTION

The ability to apply knowledge gained in neuroscience coursework to a clinical scenario is found to be difficult by many medical students. Neuroscience is both important for future clinical practice and an area frequently tested on USMLE Step 1 examinations.

METHODS

Second-year medical students created a peer-led flipped classroom to help first-year students practice applying medical neuroscience course information to clinical situations and demonstrate how that information might be tested in board-style questions. The second-year students designed a series of board-style questions that included explanations for both the correct and incorrect answers. We divided the first-year students ( = 80) into small groups during the flipped classroom sessions, where they were led by second-year medical students in discussion about the questions and clinical situations.

RESULTS

Students reported agreement that the session addressed gaps in their knowledge and provided them with useful critical thinking skills for approaching board-style questions (83% and 81% agreed or strongly agreed, respectively).

DISCUSSION

The flipped classroom improved student confidence in both applying neuroscience concepts to clinical scenarios and to board-style vignette questions.