Abstract 137: Gamification against Neurophobia: An Interactive stroke educational intervention for medical students

Abstract

Background Medical students have limited structured and often delayed exposure to strokes even though their early recognition is critical for patient outcomes. Stroke management has rapidly evolved but related education has lagged. Traditional didactic approaches fail to engage learners effectively. Interactive and gamified teaching, particularly when introduced early in medical training, may improve both knowledge acquisition and confidence while countering neurophobia. Objective To evaluate the impact of a gamified, interactive stroke talk on medical students’ knowledge and confidence in stroke care, and to explore its potential as a scalable foundation for a longitudinal curriculum. Methods Medical students across 4 years (N=20 pre, 19 post) attended a one hour, resident‐led interactive lecture on stroke recognition and acute management, facilitated in collaboration with the Neurology Student Interest Groups. The session included case vignettes, real‐time polling, and gamification elements through quiz‐style challenges. Three multiple‐choice questions, faculty‐verified to test complementary domains (physical exam recognition of cortical signs, thrombolysis window knowledge, and CT perfusion imaging interpretation), were used to assess knowledge pre‐ and post‐session. Confidence in stroke recognition and management was rated on a 5‐point Likert scale. Post‐surveys included a global helpfulness rating and open‐text feedback. Results Knowledge improved across all tested domains: cortical stroke signs (30%→47.4%), thrombolysis (TNK) window (60%→89.5%), and CT perfusion interpretation (55%→73.7%). Overall accuracy rose from 48% to 70%, representing a 22% absolute gain. Confidence increased significantly: stroke recognition from 2.1/5 to 3.79/5; regarding management from 1.35/5 to 3.74/5 (both p<0.01). Students rated the session highly (mean 4.74/5). Thematic analysis of qualitative feedback underscored the value of gamification, interactivity and clarity of explanations, with multiple students highlighting that the engaging format distinguished the session from traditional lectures. Tailoring content depth to training stage can support scalability of this model across all levels. Conclusion A gamified, faculty‐verified, interactive stroke talk significantly improved knowledge and confidence in medical students, with strong acceptability and enthusiasm for the format. Leveraging existing infrastructure such as ‘students interest groups’ enables scalable implementation. Future directions include development of a longitudinal curriculum, starting in the first year of medical school, progressively advancing in complexity, and incorporating structured evaluation of neurophobia and career interest in neurology. Such interventions may not only enhance stroke education but also foster early engagement with neurology as a career pathway image

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