National USA Brain Bee 2021

2020/2021 VIRTUAL NATIONAL COMPETITION INFORMATION

Just like many competitions this year, the National USA Brain Bee competition will take place virtual. To find out more about the competition and resources that will help you prepare for the competition, check the details below.

The 2020/2021 National Virtual Brain Bee Championship will be held Saturday, April 10th and Sunday, April 11th, 2021. The co-coordinator is Dr. Dana Peterson. She can be reached at dpeterson@neomed.edu.

NATIONAL COMPETITION REGISTRATION

Winners of the Regional Brain Bee competitions are invited to participate in the National Brain Bee competition. Each regional coordinator will receive registration forms for their 2020 and 2021 regional winners. Participants cannot enroll themselves.

The competition will be entirely virtual and is scheduled for Saturday, April 10th and Sunday, April 11th, 2021. There will be a total of 5 subtests – all questions will be multiple choice questions.

DAY 1 – APRIL 10
• Written exam – 100 questions/2.5 hours on material from the Brain Facts – 2018 edition (https://www.brainfacts.org/the-brain-facts-book ) and Science of the Brain: An Introduction for Young Students (https://brain.mcmaster.ca/BrainBee/Neuroscience.Science.of.the.Brain.pdf ). This year’s competition will include approx.20 questions that are focused on normal functioning of a healthy brain/maintaining a healthy brain over the human lifespan.
• Wet Lab/Lab Practical – 25 questions/.75 hour. Each question will have an accompanying photographic image related to the questions being asked. The list of possible wet lab structures competitors must be able to identify can be found in study guides and resources.
• Patient Diagnosis – 20 Questions/.75 hour. The list of possible neurodegenerative/neurological/psychiatric disorders can be found in study guides and resources.

DAY 2 – APRIL 11
• Imaging Lab Practical – 25 Questions/.75 hour. Each question will have an accompanying image (CT, MRI, Angiograph or photomicrograph) related to the questions being asked. The list of possible imaging lab structures competitors must be able to identify can be found in study guides and resources.
• Clinical Application Questions (substitute for the “oral quiz question round) – 30 Questions/1.0 hour.
• The exams for both cohorts of participants are identical – however, the 2020 participant’s subtest scores/total score will be kept separate from the subtest scores/total score of the 2021 participants.
• Participant ranking/trophies/monetary awards will be awarded for the 2020 cohort and the 2021 cohort. There will be 2 U.S. National Brain Bee winners that will represent the United State at the 2021 International Brain Bee competition.
• Any local Brain Bee winner from 2020 – that is 20 years of age now – or will be at the time of the April 2021 virtual competition may participate in the combined virtual competition, due to the event cancellation last year.

Virtual Awards Ceremony to follow – live streaming via ZOOM.

STUDY RESOURCES

Study guides and resources for National Brain Bee participants.

HOW TO PREPARE

Experienced Biolympiads tutors can help you prepare for the Brain Bee competition. We offer different courses depending on your needs. For more details contact us at training@biolympiads.com.

Official website: https://www.neomed.edu/brainbee/national-competition/.