The UNC Neurology is pleased to announce that Dr. Tamara Strohm, MD, with support from Dr. Lynn Liu and the neurosurgery department’s Dr. Carlos David, has been awarded an Innovation Grant for her project, “Neurology Clinical Bricks for Continuity, Collaboration, and Scholarship.” This initiative aligns with the School of Medicine’s Accelerate Forward Together Education Pillar and aims to transform neurology education through cutting-edge digital learning tools and cross-phase collaboration with Drs. Mike Wang and Nina Browner.
Bridging the Gap in Neurology Training
Each year, over 200 pre-clinical students at UNC SOM master neurology content for the USMLE Step 1. However, many face challenges applying this knowledge during clinical clerkships. Dr. Strohm’s project addresses this disconnect by developing 10 peer-reviewed, interactive “Clinical Bricks”—digital modules aligned with foundational content and designed to ensure continuity across the medical education continuum.
These Bricks will be freely accessible via the ScholarRx Community Bricks Library, “peer review by colleagues from MGH and Hopkins, and visually enhanced by internationally renowned medical illustrator Mark Schornak, MS, CMI.
Student Engagement and Scholarly Impact
Twenty medical students will be selected to co-develop the Bricks between July 2025 and July 2026, working in mentored pairs on topics such as:
- Clinical Neuroradiology
- Neurologic Emergencies
- Pediatric Headache
- Movement Disorders
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
Students will present their work at UNC Neurology Day, with top projects earning travel scholarships to the Johns Hopkins IEE Education Conference.
Innovation Highlights
- Interactive Learning: Includes a dynamic eye-tracking module to visualize cranial nerve pathology.
- Global Reach: Bricks will be shared internationally, with adoption targeted at 5–10 medical schools by 2027.
- Data-Driven Outcomes: Usage analytics, learner feedback, and pre/post assessments will track impact on clinical competency and specialty interest.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Tamara Strohm on this well-deserved recognition and in celebrating the exciting advancements to come in neurology education!