MER Neurology & Psychiatry for Primary Care 2026

Comprehensive Neurology & Psychiatry Review for Primary Care Clinicians

The MER Neurology & Psychiatry for Primary Care 2026 program provides a focused clinical review of common neurological and psychiatric conditions encountered in primary care practice.

Organized by Medical Education Resources (MER), the original conference was held from July 17–19, 2026, at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at the Disneyland Resort in California.

The curriculum combines practical neurology with evidence-based psychiatric medicine, covering neurological examination, seizures, antiepileptic medications, cerebrovascular disorders, weakness, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, ADHD, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and comprehensive psychiatric assessment.

The program is particularly relevant to primary care clinicians who frequently evaluate patients with neurological symptoms, cognitive disorders, headaches, movement abnormalities, mood disorders, anxiety, or attention-related conditions.

Course Details

• Provider: Medical Education Resources (MER)
• Official Course: Neurology & Psychiatry for Primary Care
• Year: 2026
• Original Conference Dates: July 17–19, 2026
• Original Venue: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
• Location: Disneyland Resort, California, USA
• Original MER Listing: 12 Credit Hours
• Original ANCC Listing: 5.25 Pharmacotherapeutic Contact Hours
• Specialties: Neurology, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine & Primary Care
• Focus: Evidence-Based Neurological and Psychiatric Medicine

Who Should Attend?

This program is targeted to office-based primary care providers and other healthcare professionals seeking clinically relevant updates in neurological and psychiatric medicine.

Best For

• Primary Care Physicians
• Internal Medicine Physicians
• Family Medicine Physicians
• Neurologists
• Psychiatrists
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Other clinicians evaluating neurological and psychiatric conditions

What You Will Learn

The program provides an integrated review of clinical topics including:

• Neurological examination
• Neurologic localization
• Seizures
• Epilepsy
• Antiepileptic medications
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Stroke prevention
• Neurologic weakness
• Migraine
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Parkinson’s disease
• Movement disorders
• ADHD
• Psychiatric assessment
• Anxiety disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Psychopharmacology
• Evidence-based primary care management

Neurology

Neurological Examination

Develop a practical and structured approach to performing the neurological examination.

Important areas include:

• Mental status
• Cranial nerves
• Motor examination
• Sensory examination
• Reflexes
• Coordination
• Gait
• Neurologic localization
• Recognition of abnormal findings

A systematic neurological examination can help primary care clinicians determine whether symptoms require additional diagnostic evaluation or specialist referral.

Seizures & Epilepsy

Differential Diagnosis of Seizures

Review the evaluation of patients presenting with possible seizure activity.

Topics include:

• Clinical history
• Witness descriptions
• Seizure classification
• Differential diagnosis
• Syncope versus seizure
• Provoked versus unprovoked seizures
• Neurologic assessment
• Diagnostic considerations

Antiepileptic Medications

Compare important clinical characteristics of antiepileptic medications including:

• Mechanisms of action
• Clinical pharmacology
• Adverse-effect profiles
• Patient-specific considerations
• Medication selection
• Drug interactions
• Treatment monitoring

The goal is to help clinicians understand how pharmacological characteristics influence medication selection in patients with seizure disorders.

Cerebrovascular Disorders

Review current approaches to prevention and treatment of cerebrovascular disease.

Topics include:

• Stroke risk factors
• Primary prevention
• Secondary prevention
• Hypertension management
• Lipid management
• Antithrombotic considerations
• Recognition of stroke symptoms
• TIA
• Cerebrovascular risk reduction

Weakness

Learn how to distinguish true neurological weakness from nonspecific symptoms such as:

• Fatigue
• Generalized tiredness
• Pain-limited movement
• Functional symptoms

Clinical evaluation includes:

• Patient history
• Motor examination
• Neurologic localization
• Reflex testing
• Pattern recognition
• Appropriate diagnostic evaluation

Migraine & Headache Disorders

Review the differential diagnosis and management of migraine headaches.

Topics include:

• Migraine recognition
• Headache history
• Differential diagnosis
• Migraine with and without aura
• Acute treatment
• Preventive treatment
• Trigger management
• Warning signs for secondary headache
• Referral considerations

Alzheimer’s Disease

Review evidence-based approaches to assessment and management of Alzheimer’s disease.

Topics include:

• Cognitive symptoms
• Clinical recognition
• Cognitive assessment
• Differential diagnosis
• Diagnostic evaluation
• Pharmacologic management
• Non-pharmacologic management
• Caregiver considerations
• Long-term patient management

Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders

Develop a structured approach to patients presenting with weakness, tremor, or abnormal movement.

Topics include:

• Parkinson’s disease
• Cardinal motor features
• Bradykinesia
• Rigidity
• Tremor
• Gait abnormalities
• Other movement disorders
• Differential diagnosis
• Referral considerations

Psychiatry

Comprehensive Psychiatric Assessment

Review a structured approach to evaluating patients with psychiatric presentations.

Key components include:

• Presenting symptoms
• Psychiatric history
• Medical history
• Medication history
• Mental status examination
• Substance-use assessment
• Functional assessment
• Safety assessment
• Differential diagnosis

ADHD

Review pharmacologic treatment options for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Topics include:

• ADHD diagnosis
• Patient assessment
• Stimulant medications
• Non-stimulant medications
• Clinical pharmacology
• Adverse-effect profiles
• Treatment selection
• Monitoring

The program emphasizes comparison of treatment benefits and potential adverse effects when selecting therapy.

Anxiety Disorders

Review current evidence surrounding the management of anxiety disorders.

Topics may include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder
• Panic symptoms
• Clinical assessment
• Differential diagnosis
• Pharmacologic treatment
• Psychotherapeutic approaches
• Long-term management

Bipolar Disorder

Review evidence-based approaches to bipolar disorder.

Topics include:

• Bipolar disorder recognition
• Mood episodes
• Differential diagnosis
• Mood-stabilizing medications
• Psychosocial interventions
• Pharmacologic treatment
• Psychiatric comorbidities
• Long-term management considerations

Neurology & Psychiatry in Primary Care

Neurological and psychiatric symptoms frequently overlap.

Patients may present with:

• Cognitive changes
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Headaches
• Sleep disturbance
• Mood changes
• Anxiety
• Attention difficulties
• Tremor
• Behavioral symptoms

A multidisciplinary approach helps clinicians differentiate neurological disease, psychiatric illness, medication effects, and systemic medical conditions.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, participants should be better able to:

• Perform a structured neurological examination.
• Explain the differential diagnosis of seizures.
• Compare the adverse-effect and clinical pharmacology profiles of antiepileptic medications.
• Utilize prevention and treatment strategies for cerebrovascular disorders.
• Compare the benefits and adverse-effect profiles of pharmacologic treatment options for ADHD.
• Utilize a comprehensive assessment to identify and diagnose patients presenting with psychiatric symptoms.
• Review current evidence for treatment of anxiety disorders.
• Discuss psychosocial and pharmacologic mood-stabilizing treatments for bipolar disorder.
• Recognize common psychiatric comorbidities associated with bipolar disorder.
• Utilize history and physical examination to distinguish neurological weakness from nonspecific symptoms.
• Describe the differential diagnosis and treatment options for migraine headaches.
• Discuss evidence-based management options for Alzheimer’s disease.
• Evaluate patients presenting with weakness.
• Recognize cardinal clinical features of Parkinson’s disease.
• Differentiate Parkinson’s disease from other movement disorders.
• Integrate neurological and psychiatric assessment into primary care clinical decision-making.

Major Clinical Topics

Neurology

• Neurological Examination
• Seizures
• Epilepsy
• Antiepileptic Drugs
• Stroke
• Cerebrovascular Disease
• Migraine
• Headache Disorders
• Neurologic Weakness
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Parkinson’s Disease
• Movement Disorders

Psychiatry

• Psychiatric Assessment
• ADHD
• Anxiety Disorders
• Bipolar Disorder
• Psychopharmacology
• Mood Disorders
• Mental Status Examination

Primary Care

• Differential Diagnosis
• Clinical Assessment
• Evidence-Based Treatment
• Medication Selection
• Patient Monitoring
• Referral Decisions

Why This Course Is Valuable

The MER Neurology & Psychiatry for Primary Care 2026 program combines two clinical fields that frequently intersect in everyday outpatient medicine.

Rather than reviewing neurology and psychiatry as isolated specialties, the curriculum helps primary care clinicians evaluate patients presenting with overlapping symptoms such as:

Weakness → Cognitive Changes → Headache → Movement Disorders → Anxiety → Mood Changes → Attention Problems

The program is particularly useful for clinicians seeking a practical review of neurological examination, seizure disorders, cerebrovascular disease, migraine, neurodegenerative disorders, psychiatric assessment, ADHD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

4. Short Description

The MER Neurology & Psychiatry for Primary Care 2026 program provides a focused review of neurological examination, seizures, antiepileptic medications, stroke prevention, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and comprehensive psychiatric assessment. The original MER conference was held July 17–19, 2026 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in California.

Topics

• Neurology – 1: The Neurological Exam: Characteristics and objectives of the examination; exam phases; assessing general mental status; long-term predications; examination of infants; demonstration on conducting an exam.

• Neurology – 1: Diagnosis of Epilepsy, Paroxysmal Disorders, and Status Epilepticus: Types of paroxysmal disorders; diagnosis of seizures; seizures vs. epilepsy; classification of seizures and epileptic syndrome; initiation and discontinuation of drug therapy; therapeutic monitoring; intractable epilepsy.

• Neurology – 1: Treatment of Epilepsy and Status Epilepticus: Treatment of epilepsies; goals of treatment; initiation and discontinuation of drug therapy; therapeutic monitoring; intractable epilepsy.

• Psychiatry: The Complexity of Adult ADHD: ADHD in adults with an emphasis on symptom identification; Co-occurring conditions; Psychiatric and medical differential diagnosis; evidence-based and FDA approved pharmacological treatments.

• Psychiatry: Digital Media and Mental Health: The impact of digital and social media on mental health; Treating anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges arising from increased exposure to on-line influences.

• Psychiatry: Anxiety Disorders: The nature of anxiety; Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder; etiology and diagnosis; Co-occurring conditions; Treatment options for these disabling conditions.

• Psychiatry: Bipolar Spectrum Disorders: Bipolar spectrum disorders in adults as compared to youth; Comprehensive history-taking; Differential diagnosis; Co-occurring psychiatric and medical conditions; Phase specific treatment considerations and interventions.

• Neurology – 1: Cerebrovascular Disorders: Epidemiology; identifying the high-risk patient; treatment effects; transient neurological deficit: carotid, vertebrobasilar; non-specific cerebral symptoms; migraines vs. TIA; treatment options.

• Neurology – 2: Evaluating Weakness: Using the history and physical examination to distinguish weakness from non-specific symptoms; characteristics of neurological diseases that produce weakness; presentations of representative diseases of the nervous system.

• Neurology – 2: Headaches & Migraines: Basic headache mechanisms; headache history: characteristics, precipitating factors, medical conditions; migraine: common tension, classic, treatment, complicated, cluster, sinus; trigeminal neuralgia; Giant Cell Arteritis; brain tumor; subarachnoid hemorrhage; emergency room treatment.

• Neurology – 2: Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias: Definition; statistics; neurological changes of normal aging; pathology; etiological theories; vascular dementias; investigations; social issues; symptomatic treatment; research therapies.

• Neurology – 2: Parkinson’s Disease & Other Movement Disorders: Epidemiology; cardinal features; secondary features; pathology; neurochemistry; differential diagnosis; treatment; complication; other movement disorders; neuroleptic- induced movement disorders; chorea.