The Importance of Student Leagues on Medical Training in Neurosurgery and Residency Choice

Introduction Neurological and neurosurgical disorders are highly prevalent in Brazil. The initial management is performed by general practitioners, showing the importance of theoretical and practical studies of neurology and neurosurgery during undergraduate medical courses. Objective Describe the choices of medical specialty by members of a neurosurgery student league and investigate the existence and composition of neurology and/or neurosurgery courses and neuro-leagues in medical schools in Brazil. Methods We surveyed, in person or through social networks, all medical students who were members of the Neurosurgery Student League of Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM) from 2007 to 2015 on the completion of their course and residency chosen. An online form was also submitted to all the medical schools registered with the Federal Council of Medicine (Conselho Federal de Medicina [CFM]) Results and Discussion Fifty-seven medical graduates had participated in the Neurosurgery Student League of EPM. Out of these, 45 have completed their undergraduate courses; 6 have undergone neurosurgery and 5 neurology. We obtained responses from 128 out of the 173 medical schools affiliated with the CFM. A total of 91% of the schools responded that they have a structured neurology course. These courses are divided as into: 32 exclusively theoretical, with 12 addressing neurosurgery and 84 are theoretical-practical, with 51 addressing neurosurgery. Structured neurosurgery courses were only present in 19% of the faculties, half of which are theoretical only. Neurosciences leagues were present in 66% of the universities. Conclusions It was noted that neurology and neurosurgery student leagues in 66% of the medical schools in Brazil is, many times, used to supplement theoretical-practical content that should have been addressed at undergraduate level. Unfortunately, only 9.5% of the medical schools include a theoretical-practical neurosurgery course in their curriculum, a fact that is concerning due to the high prevalence of neurologic diseases in the Brazilian population. Resumo IntroducAo Disturbios neurologicos e neurocirurgicos sAo altamente prevalentes no Brasil. O atendimento inicial e realizado por medicos generalistas, o que demonstra a importancia dos estudos praticos e teoricos em neurologia e neurocirurgia nos cursos de graduacAo em medicina. Objetivos Descrever a escolha da especialidade medica dos formandos da Liga Academica de Neurocirurgia da Escola Paulista de Medicina (LNC-EPM) e mapear a composicAo dos cursos de neurologia e/ou neurocirurgia e a presenca de ligas academicas dessas disciplinas nas escolas medicas do Brasil. Metodos Levantamento pessoal ou por rede social com todos os membros da liga de neurocirurgia da EPM de 2007 a 2015 quanto a conclusAo do curso e a residencia escolhida. Envio de um formulario online para todas as escolas medicas cadastradas no Conselho Federal de Medicina (CFM). Resultados e DiscussAo Cinquenta e sete graduandos de medicina ja participaram da LNC-EPM, sendo que 45 ja concluiram a graduacAo, 6 fizeram neurocirurgia e 5 neurologia. Conseguimos respostas de 128 das 173 escolas medicas cadastradas no CFM. Um total de 91% das escolas respondeu que possuem curso de neurologia estruturado. Esses cursos dividem-se em: 32 exclusivamente teoricos, com 12 abordando a neurocirurgia; 84 teorico-praticos, com 51 abordando a neurocirurgia. Apenas 19% das faculdades apresentam curso proprio estruturado de neurocirurgia, sendo que metade destes e apenas teorico. Um total de 66% das universidades tem liga academica das disciplinas citadas. ConclusAo Nota-se que a presenca de ligas academicas de neurologia e neurocirurgia em 66% das escolas medicas brasileiras e, muitas vezes, usada para suprir conhecimento teorico-pratico que deveria ser abordado na graduacAo. Infelizmente, apenas 9,5% das escolas tem curso teorico-pratico proprio de neurocirurgia na grade curricular, um fato que e preocupante devido a alta prevalencia das doencas neurologicas na populacAo.