Goals & Objectives

Student CORE goals and objectives

1. Become proficient with the neurological exam.

  • Curriculum: Residents, attendings and preceptors in the hospital and clinic settings will teach the advanced neurological exam. During Wednesday didactics in Seattle or via Zoom, a systematic review of the neurological exam will occur.
  • Benchmark: Two parts of the neurological exam will be benchmarked. The cranial nerves and motor exam. To learn the exams you will practice them in Wednesday didactics, and you can read about the exams or watch a video here (http://www.neuroexam.com/neuroexam/).
  • Test: Demonstrate either the cranial nerves or motor exams benchmark in a clinical setting while observed by your preceptor. The CEX cards are incorporated into the pocket syllabus. You must repeat the CEX until a pass score is achieved. Cards will be collected at the end of the course.

2. Learn about common neurosurgical conditions and be able to identify urgent/emergent neurological or neurosurgical conditions and propose initial management.

  • Curriculum: On rounds and in clinic, students are required to participate in the care of patients with traumatic brain injury, spinal disease, subarachnoid hemorrhage and/or vascular malformations, brain tumor, and hydrocephalus.  In didactics and on rounds, students will learn how to identify and take the first few steps in managing conditions such as raised intracranial pressures, acute ischemic stroke, status epilepticus, etc. 
  • Benchmark: All students are expected to discuss patients and cases on a regular basis with their resident/attending team as part of the patient-evaluation process.
  • Test: The clinical grade includes evaluation of students’ problem-solving ability and knowledge as it applies to patients whom they have evaluated.

3.  Reflect and participate in group discussion principles of effective and professional medical consultation and the delivery of bad news to patients and families. 

  • Curriculum: Students will learn these topics through readings and videos.
  • Benchmark: Students are expected to reflect on their experiences and observations with consultation and delivery of bad news and participate in discussion with colleagues and course faculty. 
  • Test: Participate in groups sessions on consultation and delivery of bad news.

4. Present on a particular neurosurgical topic.

  • Curriculum: Students are expected to identify and prepare a brief presentation on a neurosurgical topic of particular interest to what they are going into and/or particular case(s) they have seen this month.
  • Benchmark: Each student delivers a brief (5-10 minute) presentation with slides and/or handout to classmates and preceptor(s). 
  • Test: Neurosurgery faculty will evaluate the student presentations on accuracy, quality, and delivery. 

5. Seek feedback in order to improve.

  • Curriculum: Feedback should be continuous throughout the 4-weeks. In order to ensure that is happening, we are putting you, the student, in charge. A feedback card has been developed for this purpose. Please read the instructions on the front, which urges you to ask for frequent feedback from attendings, preceptors and residents. Keep in mind that feedback should be both positive and negative.
  • Benchmark: All students must receive mid-rotation feedback. Feedback given after the first two weeks of the clerkship should allow you to improve your performance for the second two weeks.
  • Test: The clerkship evaluation form has a question concerning mid-rotation feedback.