The AAN is committed to providing support for medical and graduate students interested in a career in the clinical or basic neurosciences. This page contains neurology study aids for medical students including core curricula, access to Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology®, E-Pearls and Neurology Podcasts. The Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) program provides opportunities to learn more about the field and to participate in clinical, research and service activities. Resources for students preparing to apply for the Neurology Residency Match are also available.
The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) would like to announce a new benefit for medical student members. All medical student members of the AAN will now receive free online access to current and back issues of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology®. In addition, one print issue a year will be mailed each fall, beginning in October 2009.
Continuum, the AAN's premier CME self-study program, is published six times a year. Each issue provides an up-to-date, clinically relevant review of a single neurologic topic and includes diagnostic and treatment outlines, clinical case studies, ethics and practice sections, a detailed patient management problem, and a multiple-choice self-assessment examination. A recent study showed that medical students who read Continuum have statistically significant increases in medical knowledge of neurology.*
Medical student members will also have online access to Quintessentials®, published in two issues of Continuum a year. In Quintessentials, a practice-based program, hypothetical case vignettes along with practice-focused questions are presented, allowing individuals to compare their decisions to expert opinion and practice guidelines. While geared toward practitioners, Quintessentials may be of interest to medical students interested in learning more about the practice of neurology.
In order to take advantage of this member benefit, students must be AAN members. Medical students must reapply for AAN membership on a yearly basis and will need to submit an application each year to be able to access the site. Medical students can access Continuum online. They must be logged in to view the content.
* Isaacson RS. Evaluating the effectiveness of Continuum as a teaching tool for residents and medical students: a pilot study. Neurology 2008;70(Suppl):A13.
The Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN) program is a network of more than 150 chapters in medical schools across the United States and Canada. SIGN fosters medical student interest in neurology by providing opportunities to participate in clinical, research, and service activities in neurology, increasing the student's neurologic knowledge, and creating an interest in the AAN.
Free SIGN membership will enable you to:
Socialize with students, residents, and faculty who share your interest in neurology
Shadow neurologists
Attend patient presentations and seminars
Develop experience, leadership, and valuable contacts
Want to find out more about what to expect from a neurology clerkship program? Or looking for helpful hints on selecting and applying to a residency program?
The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States.
AMSA is a student-governed, national organization committed to representing the concerns of physicians-in-training. With a membership of more than 62,000 medical students, premedical students, interns, residents, and practicing physicians from across the country, AMSA continues its commitment to improving medical training and the nation's health. Their magazine, The New Physician, will bring a smile to your face and provide a needed diversion from studying. There is also a Neurology Interest Group open to AMSA members. Find out more about AMSA.
A 59-year-old man with newly diagnosed HIV infection had a CD4+ T-cell count of 37 cells/µL and an HIV viral load of 95,710 copies/mL. Six days after initiation of antiretroviral therapy, he develops an acute onset of profound encephalopathy. He has a transcortical sensory aphasia, prolonged speech latency, apraxia, and diffuse, small amplitude myoclonus. On the day of his mental status change, a repeat HIV viral load is 2858 copies/mL. Over several days, his mental status worsens and he is barely responsive to stimuli. MRI of the brain shows symmetric areas of abnormal T2/FLAIR signal in the mesial temporal lobes, extending into the subinsular white matter on the left, with subtle enhancement present in the left subinsula and increased vascular markings in the right basal ganglia (images shown below). CSF reveals 3 WBCs/µL, normal glucose concentration, and elevated protein concentration at 80 mg/dL. CSF cytology and flow cytometry are negative, as are all microbiology studies. Which of the following treatments would be most appropriate?
