Gamifying Neurology: Lessons from the NExCARD Experience in Emergency Medicine Training

Neurological emergencies are among the most time-sensitive and high-stakes presentations in the emergency department, yet they often remain underrepresented in traditional training curricula. To address this gap, the Neurological Emergencies Card Game (NExCARD) was developed as a gamified, card-based educational intervention aimed at enhancing emergency medicine residents’ competence and confidence in diagnosing and managing neurological conditions. Inspired by the mechanics of the card game UNO, NExCARD integrates disease components into colour-coded, clue-based cards played competitively in team-based sessions. Post-activity feedback from 27 residents revealed increased engagement, a deeper understanding of the management of neurological emergencies, and a strong preference for incorporating similar tools into regular academic sessions. This commentary explores the rationale, structure, implementation, and reception of NExCARD, reflects on the educational theories that support gamification, and proposes ways in which it may be adapted, scaled, and evaluated in broader medical education contexts.