Tennessee’s First Brain Bee Comes to Memphis, Nurturing a New Generation of Neurologists

The Memphis Brain Bee is part of an international neuroscience competition and the newest entry point in a career pipeline UT Health Sciences is building, one designed to carry Memphis high school students from curiosity to medical practice in local communities.

Last Saturday morning, 25 Shelby County high school students came to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center campus in Memphis to compete in the state's first-ever Brain Bee. Not all arrived believing a career in medicine was possible. By day's end, they could picture themselves as the person in the room who had the answers.

"Most places see the Brain Bee as a siloed, isolated event, something like a spelling bee," said Balaji Krishnaiah, MD, associate professor of neurology and medical education as well as vice chair and program director of the Neurology Residency at UT Health Sciences. "You appreciate the kids, then they leave and you have no contact with them. I see this as a tool to nurture people with long-term mentorship, so we can help them become doctors, become neurologists, and keep them in Memphis or even Tennessee."

The Memphis Brain Bee is the local chapter of an international neuroscience competition program and the newest entry point in a career pipeline Dr. Krishnaiah and his team have spent years building, one designed to carry Memphis students from high school curiosity all the way to medical practice in the community that shaped them.

Fewer than 4% of medical students nationwide choose neurology. At UT Health Sciences' College of Medicine, students typically don't encounter the specialty until near the end of their second year, by which point many have already committed to a different path. Since becoming neuroscience course director, Dr. Krishnaiah has helped nearly 30 students enter the field. Almost one-third of the department's faculty are former trainees who came to Memphis and stayed.

"When I went to high schools and asked students if they wanted to become doctors, they said it felt like a far-fetched dream," he said. "My question is, why can't you dream? It's possible. And this is your steppingstone."

A Day by Design

The organizers built the event to be as welcoming as it was rigorous. Students began with a breakfast and presentation from the College of Medicine admissions team, a deliberate early signal that the doors to medical school are open. The competition unfolded in three rounds, a brain anatomy lab, multiple-choice exam on foundational neuroscience, and Jeopardy-style oral final for top scorers.

Between rounds, students ate lunch with neurology residents and medical students. Parents, teachers, and community members joined for the afternoon, which included a keynote from Haewon Shin, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology and Semmes Murphey Professor at the university.

"When I was in high school, I wasn't like you guys," she said. "I had no idea what I wanted to do."

It was watching neurological illness affect people she knew that first drew her to the brain, and what kept her in the field was the detective work, the problem-solving for patients.

Jaylin Moore, a senior at Middle College High School, listened to Dr. Lynn Dobrunz, chair of the Neuroscience Institute at UT Health Sciences, explain specialized images of the brain.

Cora Pappas, a sophomore at Crosstown High School, said the variety of voices throughout the day made the biggest impression on her.

"They filled the time really well, with different activities and people to learn from," Pappas said. "I didn't expect as many volunteers as there were. Neurology is a big field, and hearing from different voices was great. I would do it again."

The experts in the room could speak to everything from stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease to psychiatry or neurosurgery.

Neev Bhandare, a sophomore at White Station High School, will advance to the National Brain Bee competition this spring, with all travel expenses for him and a parent covered by the university, along with dedicated mentorship to prepare for the national stage and his future.

"The best part was just being there," Bhandare said after the inaugural event. "It was so cool to meet other students from different schools who are just as obsessed with neuroscience as I am. I really appreciated that it didn't feel like just another high school test. In fact, it was a community-building event where we could all share the same awe for the brain, exchange knowledge, and be inspired by one another."

The People Behind It

The Brain Bee was organized almost entirely by people who were once in those students' seats. Elizabeth Gaudio, MD, and Leigh Anne Hogue, MD, both second-year neurology residents and former UT Health Sciences medical students, led the planning along with Anne Hart, a fourth-year medical student applying to neurology residency. None of them asked what was in it for them, Dr. Krishnaiah noted.

"Memphis deserves physicians who are committed to serving and caring for their local community," Dr. Gaudio said. "The idea is students already fascinated by neuroscience or medicine will make connections with physicians and researchers based in Memphis at the Brain Bee and be encouraged to have that vision for themselves."

She saw the program as a direct extension of the department's responsibility to Memphis, as well as quenching a career development thirst high school students have. She reflected on the parents who reached out before the competition even happened, describing their high schoolers staying up late poring over the study materials.

The team constructed the event to be encouraging for students: welcoming, challenging, and supporting that medical school is within reach, as well as a sense of belonging and impact in one's community.

Dr. Hogue found the weeks leading up to the event unexpectedly rewarding. Talking to high school students about the brain, she said, clarified something she hadn't anticipated about her own path.

"This experience has helped me realize how much I enjoy teaching and interacting with the next generation," Dr. Hogue said. "I can't wait to see even one student fall in love with neurology through the Memphis Brain Bee."

Hart came to the project through her neurology clerkship, where she rotated with Dr. Krishnaiah on the stroke service. What she saw in him set the tone for how the whole team approached the event.

"I was inspired not only by the dedication he has to exceptional patient care but also the genuine enthusiasm he brings to medical education," Hart said. "It's my hope this program enriches students' interest in neuroscience and encourages them to explore future careers in health care."

Anthony Nicholas, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Medical Education, conducted a specialized brain lab for the students. Lynn Dobrunz, PhD, professor and chair of the Neuroscience Institute at UT Health Sciences, shared her career journey as well as hosted students for a tour of the neuroscience labs and advanced imaging technologies.

Students expressed amazement as they did first-hand work and viewed electron microscopic images of the brain. Dr. Dobrunz is also chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, which will fund Bhandare's participation in the national competition.

Vision Grounded in Memphis

The Memphis Brain Bee is the earliest stage of a three-part effort at UT Health Sciences that also includes a summer undergraduate neuroscience program and a first-year medical student experience in neurology. Additionally, the American Academy of Neurology selected Dr. Krishnaiah as one of 10 neurologists nationwide for its Transforming Leadership Program, helping replicate the Memphis pipeline at institutions across the country.

He credits UT Health Sciences for these opportunities, through partnerships with the Neuroscience Institute, LEAP program, College of Medicine admissions office, and through a culture that doesn't shut down ideas.

"UTHSC made me feel I belong here," said Dr. Krishnaiah, who grew up in India and came to Memphis for his fellowship. "If I didn't feel like this is home, I don't think I would be helping build these programs and pulling from this community."

That sense of belonging, he said, shapes the kind of physician a community produces, one who sees the patient rather than the disease. He shared with students the most extraordinary part of a medical career isn't the title or salary. It's the doctor-patient relationship.

"The trust you create, it's a beautiful place to be."