title: Neurophobia among medical students.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the attitude of medical students and junior physicians toward neurology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered, previously validated, questionnaire was distributed among 422 students and junior physicians at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from September to December 2012. In this cross-sectional study, the questionnaire included demographic data and 12 statements to examine attitudes toward neurology using a Likert scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate among participants was 70.3%. The mean age was 22.35 (SD+/-1.28) years. Males comprised 46.2%. While 31.3% of students had not decided regarding their future career, 11.8% selected neurology as their first possible choice. Whereas 29.6% of students were not satisfied with their neurology teaching experience, 84.4% found neurology difficult, and 42.7% of the whole group thought that their neuroscience knowledge was insufficient. Advanced clinical year students (namely, interns) were less likely to consider neurology as a career choice (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the students had an unfavorable attitude toward neurology on the Likert scale. New strategies are needed to change students` attitude toward this demanding specialty.
authors: Neurology Division, Department of Medicine, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, PO Box 377033, Riyadh 11335, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail: neuroahmad@yahoo.com.
authors: Ahmad A
authors: AA
authors: Abulaban
authors: Tahir H
authors: TH
authors: Obeid
authors: Hussein A
authors: HA
authors: Algahtani
authors: Suleiman M
authors: SM
authors: Kojan
authors: Ali M
authors: AM
authors: Al-Khathaami
authors: Abdulrhman A
authors: AA
authors: Abulaban
authors: Maryam F
authors: MF
authors: Bokhari
authors: Anas A
authors: AA
authors: Merdad
authors: Suhaib A
authors: SA
authors: Radi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009462:Neurology / Q000193:education*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
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