Letters to the Editor
afflicted with these limitations adopt a hyperlordotic lumbar posture with an extended position of the neck, which persists while lying down.[2] However, with the initial presentation of spasmodic dysphonia and the seemingly absent classic signs of SPS, there was a significant delay in diagnosis and treatment requiring invasive investigations. This case highlights the importance of considering SPS in the differential diagnosis, when no other explanations of spasmodic dysphonia, cranial or bulbar like symptoms could be found. Abdul Qayyum Rana, Mohamed Sufian Masroor1, Beenish Ismail2 Department of Neurology, Parkinson’s Clinic of Eastern Toronto and Movement Disorders Center, Toronto, 1Health Science Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 2Windsor University School of Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis Address for correspondence: Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rana, Parkinson’s Clinic of Eastern Toronto and Movement Disorders Center, 1‑2060 Ellesmere Road, Toronto ‑ M1H 2V6, Ontario, Canada. E‑mail: [email protected]
References 1.
Blum P, Jankovic J. Stiff‑person syndrome: An autoimmune disease. Movement Disorders 1998;6:12‑20. 2. Lorish TR, Thorsteinsson G, Howard FM Jr. Stiff‑man syndrome updated. Mayo Clinic Proc 1989;64:629‑636. 3. Gershanik OS. Stiff‑person syndrome. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 2009;15:S130‑4. 4. Murinson BB. Stiff‑person syndrome. Neurologist 2004;10:131‑37. 5. Goodson B, Martin K, Hunt T. Stiff person syndrome presenting with sudden onset of shortness of breath and difficulty moving the right arm: A case report. J Med Case Rep 2010;4:118. Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.ruralneuropractice.com
DOI: 10.4103/0976-3147.133659
Accessible knowledge for tomorrow’s surgeons and doctors Sir, Undergraduate medical education and neurology are
not a popular mix among students as evidenced in the infamous editorial by Warlow entitled ‘Teaching medical students neurology – an old codger’s view’.[1] Inspirational teachers can go a long way in enhancing student neurology learning and there is considerable truth to the age old adage ‘you don’t forget a good teacher’. However, not all students are fortunate enough to have inspirational teachers, and as such they may fall short of the competencies required of them regarding Neurology. It is remarkably easy for students to survive medical school and avoid one or two select subjects, but this is to the major detriment of patient care when concerning a central medical discipline such as neurology. A social media survey (n = 624) into why students had this attitude to neurology was carried out by ourselves, and unsurprisingly it came down to the fact that Neurology is perceived harder to learn and thus score highly in exams compared with other specialities (renal medicine being the exception). Effectively medical students display ‘exam point seeking behavior’ and they manage their time to allow emphasis on subjects they find easier. The survey found that students respond better to resources produced by other students, particularly for neurology and renal medicine. The main reason being students feel that they produced resources and have sorted out the superfluous information that may be present in nonstudent produced resources, hence streamlining their study. We decided to produce a document that has gone on to be one of the most downloaded medical education documents of 2013/14. The overriding feedback we received regarding the resource, is it engages students in practical neurology, namely assessing and treating patients rather than theory, which students find time consuming and thus avoid. Hence neurology teaching should aim to engage students practically, and through this practical engagement pass on the knowledge required to be a safe competent doctor. Importantly, this resource reaches rural to urban‑based medical students. Within this internationally successful project, we have determined one of the central keys, to engaging students in general, is to engage students completely in the application of practical medicine. Importantly, it engages students across the world, in rural and urban environments. Thomas I. Lemon, Drew Davies Institute of Medical Education, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice | July - September 2014 | Vol 5 | Issue 3
323
Letters to the Editor Address for correspondence: Dr. Thomas I Lemon, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom. E‑mail: [email protected]
Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.ruralneuropractice.com
Reference 1.
324
Warlow C. Teaching medical students clinical neurology: An old codger’s view. Pract Neurol 2005;5:318-21
DOI: 10.4103/0976-3147.133661
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice | July - September 2014 | Vol 5 | Issue 3
Copyright of Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice is the property of Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
afflicted with these limitations adopt a hyperlordotic lumbar posture with an extended position of the neck, which persists while lying down.[2] However, with the initial presentation of spasmodic dysphonia and the seemingly absent classic signs of SPS, there was a significant delay in diagnosis and treatment requiring invasive investigations. This case highlights the importance of considering SPS in the differential diagnosis, when no other explanations of spasmodic dysphonia, cranial or bulbar like symptoms could be found. Abdul Qayyum Rana, Mohamed Sufian Masroor1, Beenish Ismail2 Department of Neurology, Parkinson’s Clinic of Eastern Toronto and Movement Disorders Center, Toronto, 1Health Science Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada, 2Windsor University School of Medicine, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis Address for correspondence: Dr. Abdul Qayyum Rana, Parkinson’s Clinic of Eastern Toronto and Movement Disorders Center, 1‑2060 Ellesmere Road, Toronto ‑ M1H 2V6, Ontario, Canada. E‑mail: [email protected]
References 1.
Blum P, Jankovic J. Stiff‑person syndrome: An autoimmune disease. Movement Disorders 1998;6:12‑20. 2. Lorish TR, Thorsteinsson G, Howard FM Jr. Stiff‑man syndrome updated. Mayo Clinic Proc 1989;64:629‑636. 3. Gershanik OS. Stiff‑person syndrome. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 2009;15:S130‑4. 4. Murinson BB. Stiff‑person syndrome. Neurologist 2004;10:131‑37. 5. Goodson B, Martin K, Hunt T. Stiff person syndrome presenting with sudden onset of shortness of breath and difficulty moving the right arm: A case report. J Med Case Rep 2010;4:118. Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.ruralneuropractice.com
DOI: 10.4103/0976-3147.133659
Accessible knowledge for tomorrow’s surgeons and doctors Sir, Undergraduate medical education and neurology are
not a popular mix among students as evidenced in the infamous editorial by Warlow entitled ‘Teaching medical students neurology – an old codger’s view’.[1] Inspirational teachers can go a long way in enhancing student neurology learning and there is considerable truth to the age old adage ‘you don’t forget a good teacher’. However, not all students are fortunate enough to have inspirational teachers, and as such they may fall short of the competencies required of them regarding Neurology. It is remarkably easy for students to survive medical school and avoid one or two select subjects, but this is to the major detriment of patient care when concerning a central medical discipline such as neurology. A social media survey (n = 624) into why students had this attitude to neurology was carried out by ourselves, and unsurprisingly it came down to the fact that Neurology is perceived harder to learn and thus score highly in exams compared with other specialities (renal medicine being the exception). Effectively medical students display ‘exam point seeking behavior’ and they manage their time to allow emphasis on subjects they find easier. The survey found that students respond better to resources produced by other students, particularly for neurology and renal medicine. The main reason being students feel that they produced resources and have sorted out the superfluous information that may be present in nonstudent produced resources, hence streamlining their study. We decided to produce a document that has gone on to be one of the most downloaded medical education documents of 2013/14. The overriding feedback we received regarding the resource, is it engages students in practical neurology, namely assessing and treating patients rather than theory, which students find time consuming and thus avoid. Hence neurology teaching should aim to engage students practically, and through this practical engagement pass on the knowledge required to be a safe competent doctor. Importantly, this resource reaches rural to urban‑based medical students. Within this internationally successful project, we have determined one of the central keys, to engaging students in general, is to engage students completely in the application of practical medicine. Importantly, it engages students across the world, in rural and urban environments. Thomas I. Lemon, Drew Davies Institute of Medical Education, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice | July - September 2014 | Vol 5 | Issue 3
323
Letters to the Editor Address for correspondence: Dr. Thomas I Lemon, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom. E‑mail: [email protected]
Access this article online Quick Response Code:
Website: www.ruralneuropractice.com
Reference 1.
324
Warlow C. Teaching medical students clinical neurology: An old codger’s view. Pract Neurol 2005;5:318-21
DOI: 10.4103/0976-3147.133661
Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice | July - September 2014 | Vol 5 | Issue 3
Copyright of Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice is the property of Medknow Publications & Media Pvt. Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
