Innovative Curriculum Modernizes Medical Education and Tackles ‘Neurophobia’

Stroke neurologist Dr. Igor Rybinnik, an associate professor in the Department of Neurology, is demystifying one of medical education’s most intimidating subjects and transforming how future doctors approach the treatment of hundreds of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injuries.

By creating a modern, interactive curriculum that replaces passive lectures with active, student-centered learning, the associate professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and clerkship director is providing future physicians with simulations that mimic real-world clinical decision making.

“Students used to fear the neurology rotation. Now, they’re engaged, confident, and even excited,” said Carol A. Terregino, senior associate dean for education and academic affairs at the medical school. “Dr. Rybinnik’s work shows how innovative teaching can change not only how students learn, but how they think.”

Launched in 2018 and expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Neurofile Program ensures that all medical students regardless of their clinical site encounter the same core cases, symptoms, and decision-making processes. Each case, many of which originate from real patients, is presented through a sequence of interactive modules that offer small-group discussions.

Dr. Rybinnik said he designed the content, which is also available free online, to deal with how today’s students absorb information by creating short videos, interactive platforms, and on-demand content that can be updated in real time.

“In our small-group sessions, students take the lead,” Dr. Rybinnik said. “They order tests, interpret results, make decisions, and see the consequences just like they would on the hospital floor. It’s active learning, not passive listening.”

These new and innovative approaches in medical education are occurring at RWJMS and throughout the country. The goal is to move away from passive learning and create a curriculum that reflects real-life clinical problems.

“This is the future of medical education,” said Dr. Terregino, who has been recognized nationally as a medical education leader. “We’ve moved beyond memorization toward a deeper, clinical understanding of how the nervous system affects every part of the body. Students are learning how to think like neurologists without being overwhelmed.”

Dr. Rybinnik said besides his love for neurology and learning he was motivated to create the program at the medical school in part by “neurophobia,” a term he says is real but not inevitable that is used to describe the fear and anxiety many students feel towards neurology because they perceive it as too difficult.

More Neurologists Needed

The demand for neurologists is expected to increase as the populations ages. Since the nervous system plays a role in the function of every organ system, a solid understanding of neuroscience is critical for all physicians, Dr. Rybinnik said.

“One in ten patients in a primary care office has a neurological condition,” he said. “Stroke, dementia, and multiple sclerosis are diseases every physician must be able to recognize and manage. We’re giving students the foundation to do that and hopefully taking away some of the fear.”

Because of the rapid pace of neuroscience discoveries, both doctors say it is unrealistic to expect students to master the entire field. What is essential, they say, is to know how to think through any clinical problems using a strong foundation that they have obtained in neurobiology.

The results from the new approach are clear. Student surveys indicate increased confidence, greater clinical competence, and a deeper interest in neurology. Since the program began, the number of students entering neurology at Rutgers has increased from about three students per year to a peak of twelve students.

“This is a labor of love,” he said. “But it’s also a model for how neurology and maybe even all of medicine can rethink how we teach the next generation of doctors.”

Khushi Patel, a recent graduate of the medical school and now a neurology resident at New York University, credits the curriculum with shaping her career path.

“I was never intimidated by neurology because of the way we were taught,” Dr. Patel said. “The interactive cases were structured in a way that made complex conditions understandable. You were constantly challenged to think through real clinical problems, and that made a huge difference for me.”

Dr. Patel, who has created a new video module for the program, said the early exposure to neurologic reasoning gave her a head start. “It didn’t feel like I was starting from scratch. I already had the foundation,” she said.

The curriculum at RWJMS aligns with national standards set by the American Academy of Neurology and is designed to introduce students not only to core concepts but also to the many subspecialties within the field, from stroke and epilepsy to neuroinfectious disease, dementia, and sports neurology, Dr. Rybinnik said.

Dr. Terregino said the program is a model for how other complex disciplines can evolve. “It’s not just about neurology,” she said. “It’s about how we train doctors for the future who can think critically, adapt quickly, and truly understand the patients in front of them."