Neurofobia: un desafío para la educación médica

Abstract

Neurological diseases are highly prevalent, with a high burden of morbidity, mortality and quality of life compromised. Physicians with neurology training are required. Medical education is confronted with the challenge of neurophobia, characterized by non-neurologist doctors who are afraid to care for the neurological pathology, to the point of not attempting to make a diagnostic approach, omitting the neurological examination or initiating early referral to the neurologist. There are questionnaires to identify neurophobia, which is present in up to half of medical students. Neurophobia constitutes an urgent call for medical education.