Disability Education in Medical Schools: A Paradigm Shift for Inclusive Care

Authors

Hannah Ship MD, MPH, University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Sahana Shankar M.D., University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Rochelle Baer LCSW, University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentFollow
Jeffrey Brosco M.D., Ph.D., University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentFollow
Jairo Arana, University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentFollow
Damian Gregory, University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentFollow
Robert Irwin M.D., University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Gauri Agarwal M.D., University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Sabrina Taldone MD, MBA, University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Sheryl Eisenberg Michalowski MA, Deaf Law Center, Eisenberg & BaumFollow
Daniel Quintero M.D., University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Anna Shah M.D., University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Frank Woo M.D., University of Miami Miller School of MedicineFollow
Michelle Schladant Ph.D., University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentFollow
Ashley Falcon PhD, MPH, University of Miami Mailman Center for Child DevelopmentFollow

Abstract

Disability education for medical students is often insufficient and can contribute to health disparities for people with disabilities. Our interdisciplinary curriculum development team created a longitudinal 4-year disability education model aimed at improving patient care for people with disabilities. Central to our curriculum are progressive sessions aligned with students' medical journey, including three required sessions covering interdisciplinary healthcare teams, implicit bias, health disparities, disability culture, shared decision-making, communication, and self-determination. Through the inclusion of people with disabilities, an interdisciplinary curriculum development team, and trainee-driven advocacy, our longitudinal multi-phasic disability education curriculum seeks to mitigate health disparities. Our innovative approach addresses the gap in disability education, fostering more compassionate and inclusive healthcare practices.

Plain Language Summary

People with disabilities often face worse health outcomes because they struggle to access healthcare. Medical professionals do not always have the right training and sometimes have biases. This leads to unfair differences in healthcare.

To tackle this, we created a detailed 4-year medical school curriculum. It has three important sessions spread out over the years. The first session teaches students about working in healthcare teams and focusing on patients. The second session looks at disability culture, biases, and health differences. The third session focuses on communication and letting patients make choices.

We worked closely with people with disabilities to develop this curriculum. Their insights are crucial. We also involved the local disability community through community organizations. In this model, students can choose from optional classes and activities. This enriches their learning experience. Students who have used this curriculum have given positive feedback. They especially liked talking directly with people with disabilities. Research shows that these experiences really help students understand better and become more empathetic.

We hope other medical schools and institutions can use our model. It is important to make sure that people with disabilities get the same level of healthcare as everyone else.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Ship, Hannah MD, MPH; Shankar, Sahana M.D.; Baer, Rochelle LCSW; Brosco, Jeffrey M.D., Ph.D.; Arana, Jairo; Gregory, Damian; Irwin, Robert M.D.; Agarwal, Gauri M.D.; Taldone, Sabrina MD, MBA; Eisenberg Michalowski, Sheryl MA; Quintero, Daniel M.D.; Shah, Anna M.D.; Woo, Frank M.D.; Schladant, Michelle Ph.D.; and Falcon, Ashley PhD, MPH (2024) "Disability Education in Medical Schools: A Paradigm Shift for Inclusive Care," Developmental Disabilities Network Journal: Vol. 4: Iss. 2, Article 9.
DOI: 10.59620/2694-1104.1104
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ddnj/vol4/iss2/9