[The role of the Academia Brasileira de Neurologia in the teaching of neurology. A personal view].

The Brazilian Academy of Neurology (ABN) may play an important role for a better education of medical students and residents in neurology in Brazil. Its field of action ranges from suggesting a core curriculum in neurology to Medical Schools and Residency Programs to assess the quality of teaching they offer in order to guide students and graduates who apply for positions. In addition to that ABN may be itself a teaching institution offering educational activities in a Program of Continuing Medical Education with a well-designed system of credits. Courses on basic sciences, methods of diagnosis and therapeutic advances, symposia and workshops as well as a Programmed Teaching in Neurology suitable to residents and practitioners are to be included. A video collection and a bank of data on the current literature may widen the available set of services. The ABN Committee on Teaching is to play a central role defining policy, deciding on priorities, planning and establishing timing and placing of all educational activities. Of utmost importance is to define humanistic qualities desirable in the neurologist identifying qualities students and residents bring to the educational process and those acquired in the practice of neurology. The cognitive dimensions of moral and ethics can be taught and should be regularly included in the educational activities sponsored by the Academy.