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Konopasky A, Finn GM, Varpio L. Moving Beyond Static, Individualistic Approaches to Agency: Theories of Agency for Medical Education Researchers: AMEE Guide No. 177. MEDICAL TEACHER 2025:1-10. [PMID: 39791952 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2024.2445045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2024] [Accepted: 12/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
Agency - the capacity to produce an effect - is a foundational aspect of medical education. Agency is usually conceptualized at the level of the individual, with each learner charged with taking responsibility to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. This conceptualization is problematic. First, collaboration is a central component of patient care, which does not align well with an individualistic approach. Second, a growing body of literature documents how minoritized and marginalized trainees experience inequitable restrictions on their agency. Third, a myriad of structures across medicine restricts individual agency. In this guide, we present four conceptualizations of agency beyond the individual that medical researchers can incorporate to modernize and broaden their understanding of agency: (a) temporal: how individuals wrestle with their own agency across time; (b) relational: how agency is co-created dialogically with other individuals and structures; (c) cultural: how culture and cultural resources shape possibilities for agency; and (d) structural: how restrictive structures - like racism and ableism that unjustly curtail individual agency - are created, maintained, and resisted. For each dimension, we first describe it by drawing from and summarizing the work of theorists across disciplines. Next, we highlight an article from medical education that makes particularly good use of this dimension, discussing some of its relevant findings. Finally, we offer a set of questions that researchers in medical education can ask to highlight the dimension of agency in their work, and we suggest potential directions for future inquiry. We conclude by offering an example of how a researcher might understand a resident's educational experiences through each of the four proposed dimensions and further explicating the complexity of agency in medical education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Konopasky
- Department of Medical Education, Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Gabrielle M Finn
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Barnett JR, DiSalvo S, McGill E, Alvarez L, Samuel N, Siegel J, Siasoco V, Amaya G, Guidotti R, Bonuck K, Lounsbury DW. The Influence of Photographic Representations on U.S. Medical Students' Attitudes and Beliefs About Persons With Disabilities: A Qualitative Study. TEACHING AND LEARNING IN MEDICINE 2025:1-14. [PMID: 39789881 DOI: 10.1080/10401334.2024.2444622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 11/13/2024] [Accepted: 12/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2025]
Abstract
Phenomenon: There is a crucial need to more deeply understand the impact and etiology of bias toward persons with developmental disabilities (PWDD). A largely unstudied area of concern and possible intervention is the portrayal of PWDD in medical education. Often, medical photographs portray PWDD with obscured faces, emotionless, and posed in an undignified way. This exploratory, qualitative study aimed to explore how photo representations of PWDD influences medical students' attitudes and beliefs toward disability. Approach: We recruited 10 medical students from a single medical school in the northeastern United States to participate in in-depth, individual semi-structured interviews via Zoom. During the interviews, we asked students to reflect on and respond to two image sets of PWDD: a standard image set, which were photos from medical textbooks, and a positive image set, which were photos from the U.S.-based disability nonprofit, Positive Exposure. Using thematic analysis underpinned by the Health Stigma and Discrimination Framework, we coded and organized the transcripts into four themes that characterized participants' attitudes and beliefs about PWDD. Findings: The four themes we identified were as follows. Humanization vs. dehumanization: Standard imagery characteristics (e.g., black bars, unnatural posing, lack of clothing) were perceived as dehumanizing and raised concerns about consent and autonomy, whereas positive imagery characteristics (e.g., clothing, natural poses, nonclinical settings) were seen as humanizing and enhanced perceptions of agency. Quality of life: Standard imagery often led to assumptions of compromised quality of life, while positive imagery suggested a good quality of life. Discomfort vs. comfort with communication in a clinical setting: Dehumanizing portrayals increased perceived difficulty in establishing rapport, while humanizing imagery mitigated these perceived barriers. Diversity: Image sets showcasing a diverse spectrum of presentations for a given diagnosis were valued for medical education. Insights: We conclude that photographic representation of disability in medical education can influence medical students' attitudes and beliefs about PWDD. Photographic elements can either humanize or dehumanize, with humanizing representation leading to more positive attitudes and therefore also an educational benefit. Thoughtful and inclusive visual content is needed in medical education to encourage positive attitudes and foster a more empathetic healthcare environment. Our results support future plans to further investigate how photo representation affects attitudes in a larger sample. Additionally, our study's insights contribute to the ongoing initiative Textbook Beauty, providing guidance for the selection of photography to improve attitudes toward disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Emma McGill
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Luisa Alvarez
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Nina Samuel
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Joanne Siegel
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Vincent Siasoco
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Karen Bonuck
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - David W Lounsbury
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
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Jain NR, Alwazzan L. What's your experience?: A duoethnographic dialogue to advance disability inclusion in medical education. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2025; 59:124-133. [PMID: 38847295 PMCID: PMC11662301 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 12/22/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although disability inclusion in medical education is gaining interest internationally, scholarship and policy recommendations on this topic largely hail from the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. Existing scholarship, while calling for medical education to enact cultural and attitudinal change related to disability, has yet to exemplify how educators might critically examine their understandings. APPROACH As two medical educators and researchers, one based in New Zealand and the other based in Saudi Arabia, we took a duoethnographic approach to explore tensions, possibilities and assumptions regarding disability and disability inclusion in medical education. Through a year-long synchronous and asynchronous dialogue, we examined our experiences in relation to literature from critical disability studies and disability inclusion in medical education. FINDINGS We present recurrent themes from our dialogue. We consider what disability means, explore definitions and models of disability in our contexts, as well as our lived curriculum of disability. We grapple with the applicability of disability inclusion practices across borders. We explore the complexity of supporting access without a clear roadmap, while recognising educators' potential in this work. Finally, we recognise that, if disability is relational, we have the power and responsibility to address ableism in medical education. Throughout, we return to the importance of local consultation with disabled people (learners, physicians) to better understand how services ought to be oriented. CONCLUSION Duoethnographic dialogue is a fruitful approach to critically examine understandings of disability with others and represents a necessary start to work in education that seeks to advance justice. We share possible actions to take the work forward beyond dialogue and suggest that readers engage in such dialogues with others in their own contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neera R. Jain
- Centre for Medical and Health Sciences EducationSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau ‐ The University of AucklandNew Zealand
| | - Lulu Alwazzan
- Department of Medical EducationImam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic UniversityRiyadhKingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Beagan B, Kamenetsky S, Zaman S, Parhar G, Jarus T. Disabled Students in Health and Social Services Fieldwork: Perceptions of Canadian Fieldwork Educators and Academic Coordinators. TEACHING AND LEARNING IN MEDICINE 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39670975 DOI: 10.1080/10401334.2024.2439848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 11/11/2024] [Accepted: 11/27/2024] [Indexed: 12/14/2024]
Abstract
Ensuring equitable access to professional education programs for learners who need accommodations is distinctly challenging when education moves beyond the classroom into clinical or fieldwork sites. Fieldwork educators and university academic coordinators who arrange fieldwork placements work with university accessibility services and students to arrange required accommodations, while preserving confidentiality, maintaining high learning standards, and ensuring attainment of professional competencies. This work is complicated by time pressures and heavy caseloads in fieldwork settings. Here we report on a subset of data from a cross-Canada online survey of fieldwork educators (n = 233) and academic coordinators (n = 54) in 10 health and social service professions. Using descriptive statistics, we analyze responses to two question series concerning perceptions of the capacity of disabled students to attain professional competencies, and overall perceptions of students who need accommodations. Respondents showed most concern about competency attainment for learners with cognitive or learning disabilities, followed by neurological and mental health issues. Thematic analysis of open-ended comments suggests doubt regarding the ability of institutional fieldwork sites to adequately implement accommodations. In their perception of learners who need accommodations, academic coordinators were somewhat more negative than fieldwork educators, in particular seeing students who need accommodations as a potential burden that could harm placement relationships with fieldwork sites. They tended to indicate that fieldwork success depended on student insight and self-advocacy. Struggles faced by disabled students in health and social service professions appear to be occasioned not only by disabling systems and institutions, but also by perceptions that they may have diminished competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Beagan
- School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Stuart Kamenetsky
- Department of Psychology, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shahbano Zaman
- Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gurdeep Parhar
- Department of Family Practice, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tal Jarus
- Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Coldicutt O, Owen K. Transition experiences of UK junior doctors who leave clinical practice to pursue careers in medical education: a qualitative study. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e088615. [PMID: 39658290 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-088615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The increasing complexity and scale of medical education in the UK demands increasing numbers of medical educators. A small proportion of educators are qualified doctors, but did not reach completion of clinical training (CCT) to become consultants or general practitioners before pursuing a career exclusively in education. This study aimed to (1) explore the experiences of medical educators who left clinical practice as junior doctors and (2) identify the barriers to professional identity formation in this group. DESIGN In this constructivist qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with medical educators. Audio data was recorded, transcribed and iteratively interpreted through the lens of reflexive thematic analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Nine UK-based educators were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Participants self-identified as medical educators who have experience of the transition from working as junior clinicians to holding positions exclusively in medical education. Participants had not completed clinical training before transitioning into medical education. RESULTS Three broad themes were identified: (1) push factors away from clinical medicine; (2) pull factors towards medical education; (3) navigating professional identity formation as an educator. Educators reported that medical education offered positives such as improved work-life balance, professional development opportunities and a sense of being more 'upstream' in the world of education. Significant barriers to successful transition were reported, including: a lack of guidance; low respect for medical education by the wider medical profession; and disparity between the educational opportunities afforded to consultant colleagues compared with educators who left medicine before CCT. CONCLUSIONS Educators who leave clinical medicine before CCT perceive themselves as being disadvantaged in their education careers. This study highlights that more could be done to tackle stigmatising perceptions of a medical education career and present medical education as a viable option to junior doctors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Coldicutt
- Medical Education, South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, Warwick, UK
| | - Katherine Owen
- Division of Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK
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Brown MEL, Finn G. Shut up, or Set Free: Poetic Inquiry into Disabled Students' Experiences of Differential Attainment. PERSPECTIVES ON MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 13:561-571. [PMID: 39600628 PMCID: PMC11590743 DOI: 10.5334/pme.1392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 11/29/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Differential attainment (DA) - systematic differences in training and assessment outcomes when grouping individuals by demographic characteristics - is a pervasive problem in health professions education. Despite evidence of its prevalence, there have been few qualitative studies relating to disabled learners' experiences of differential attainment. This represents a significant gap, as understanding disabled learners' experiences is key to developing effective interventions that mitigate the impact of differential attainment. Methods We used critical poetic inquiry to explore the lived experiences - including emotional, cultural, and contextual dimensions - of differential attainment for disabled health professions students. We constructed poems following a secondary analysis of a large interview dataset (n = 123 participants) from one institution. We focused on students who disclosed disability (n = 18), narrowing to health professions education (n = 10). Results Poems reflect individuals' experiences of DA. Four themes were constructed, within which we use poems to illustrate key connections: The perseverance stereotype, Managing the hidden curriculum, Privilege and access, and Surviving, not thriving. These themes illustrate the complex interplay of systemic barriers, ableist stereotypes, and privilege in the educational journey of disabled students. Discussion The poems reveal the often-unseen struggles of disabled learners, challenging ableist perceptions and highlighting the necessity of inclusive practices. Our findings underscore the need for a shift in educational approaches, advocating for universal design and comprehensive support systems that consider the unique experiences of disabled learners. This study lays the groundwork for future research to develop interventions that address DA in a more inclusive and equitable manner, ensuring educational environments support all learners effectively.
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Mayer Y, Nimmon L, Shalev M, Gross E, Bulk LY, Battalova A, Krupa T, Jarus T. Belonging in dual roles: exploring professional identity formation among disabled healthcare students and clinicians. ADVANCES IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRACTICE 2024:10.1007/s10459-024-10386-4. [PMID: 39509065 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-024-10386-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2024] [Indexed: 11/15/2024]
Abstract
The development of a robust professional identity is a pivotal aspect of every healthcare professional's educational journey. Critical social perspectives are increasingly influencing the examination of professional identity formation within healthcare professions. While understanding how disabled students and practitioners integrate a disability identity into their professional identity is crucial, we have limited knowledge about the actual formation of their professional identity. This study aims to investigate how disabled students and clinicians in healthcare professions actively shape their professional identity during their educational and professional journeys. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 students and 29 clinicians, conducting up to three interviews per participant over a year, resulting in 124 interviews. Participants represented five healthcare professions: medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work. Employing a constructivist grounded theory approach, our data analysis revealed two prominent dimensions: (a) The contextualization of identity formation processes and (b) The identity navigation dimension in which the professional identity and disability identity are explored. This emerging model sheds light on the dynamic processes involved in identity formation, emphasizing the significance of a supportive environment for disabled students and practitioners. Such an environment fosters the negotiation of both professional and disability identities. Moreover, this study recognizes the importance of a re-examination of the concepts of professionalism and professional identity in healthcare professions. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of understanding and supporting the multifaceted identity formation processes among disabled individuals within healthcare professions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Nimmon
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Tal Jarus
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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Jain NR, Stergiopoulos E, Addams A, Moreland CJ, Meeks LM. "We Need a Seismic Shift": Disabled Student Perspectives on Disability Inclusion in U.S. Medical Education. ACADEMIC MEDICINE : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN MEDICAL COLLEGES 2024; 99:1221-1233. [PMID: 39137272 DOI: 10.1097/acm.0000000000005842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Students with disabilities have inequitable access to medical education, despite widespread attention to their inclusion. Although systemic barriers and their adverse effects on medical student performance are well documented, few studies include disabled students' first-person accounts. Existing first-person accounts are limited by their focus predominantly on students who used accommodations. This study bridged these gaps by analyzing a national dataset of medical students with disabilities to understand their perceptions of disability inclusion in U.S. medical education. METHOD The authors analyzed 674 open-text responses by students with disabilities from the 2019 and 2020 Association of American Medical Colleges Year Two Questionnaire responding to the prompt, "Use the space below if you would like to share anything about your experiences regarding disability and medical school." Following reflexive thematic analysis principles, the authors coded the data using an inductive semantic approach to develop and refine themes. The authors used the political-relational model of disability to interpret themes. RESULTS Student responses were wide-ranging in experience. The authors identified key dimensions of the medical education system that influenced student experiences: program structure, processes, people, and culture. These dimensions informed the changes students perceived as possible to support their access to education and whether pursuing such change would be acceptable. In turn, students took action to navigate the system, using administrative, social, and internal mechanisms to manage disability. CONCLUSIONS Key dimensions of medical school affect student experiences of and interactions with disability inclusion, demonstrating the political-relational production of disability. Findings confirm earlier studies on disability inclusion that suggest systemic change is necessary, while adding depth to understand how and why students do not pursue accommodations. On the basis of student accounts, the authors identify existing resources to help medical schools remedy deficits in their systems to improve their disability inclusion practice.
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Watermeyer B. Health sciences training for disability inclusion: the need to engage with emotion. MEDICAL HUMANITIES 2024:medhum-2024-013044. [PMID: 39393910 DOI: 10.1136/medhum-2024-013044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 10/13/2024]
Abstract
Material aspects of disability inequality, such as access to quality services, housing and employment, are an urgent, worldwide concern. Less recognised though, are psychological layers of prejudice and discrimination, which play a significant role in cementing marginality. Against this backdrop, health practitioners can fill influential roles in shaping the self-identity and citizenship entitlement of people with disabilities. Yet, these professionals are, like the balance of society, socialised in environments where ableism is intrinsic, invisible and unquestioned. Disability prejudice has both an emotional and unconscious basis, and overcoming its effects is argued to require a personal engagement with feelings relating to bodily frailty, universal dependency, mortality and other prickly aspects of the human condition with which it is associated. These aspects are all at play in the clinical encounter between a health professional and a patient with disability, but the layered and consequential nature of such interactions for the flourishing and empowerment of people with disabilities, as well as the disability movement as a whole, is poorly understood. Evidence suggests that mere tuition in social justice has limited effects on behaviour in relation to issues of inequality and exclusion. In this paper I reflect on how socialisation in an ableist world can shape how disability is positioned in the clinical encounter, potentially leading to interactions which embed inequality. Drawing on my own experience as disability studies scholar and disabled person, I then describe a teaching method for facilitating shifts in the personal relationships which health sciences students have to disability, in the context of broader attempts to create clinical spaces and relationships in which empathy and self-compassion are encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Watermeyer
- Division of Disability and Rehabilitation Studies, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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10
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Hassouneh D, Mood L, Birnley K, Kualaau A, Garcia E. Seeking inclusion while navigating exclusion: Theorizing the experiences of disabled nursing faculty in academe. Nurs Inq 2024; 31:e12659. [PMID: 39099187 DOI: 10.1111/nin.12659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Despite repeated calls for equity, diversity, and inclusion in nursing education and the significance of disability for the vocation of nursing, the voices and experiences of nursing faculty with disabilities are largely absent from our literature. In this paper, we present a critical grounded theory of the experiences of disabled nursing faculty in academe to begin to amend this gap. Using critical disability studies as a sensitizing framework and building on prior work on racism and other systems of oppression in nursing, we theorize that nursing academe is a normalized space produced by White, able-mindbodied, and cis-heteropatriarchal discourses that regulate the boundaries of inclusion via exclusionary social norms. Further, we describe the operations of normalcy in nursing academe, discuss implications for education and health care, and consider avenues for change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dena Hassouneh
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing 3076, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Laura Mood
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing 3076, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Kendra Birnley
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing 3076, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Andrew Kualaau
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing 3076, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Ellen Garcia
- Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing 3076, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Edelist T, Zaman S, Katzman E, Jarus T. 'Patient' or 'professional'? Negotiating accommodations and identity in fieldwork education. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 58:1107-1116. [PMID: 38449338 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite legislation mandating accommodation policies in postsecondary education, support for students with disabilities is often not implemented within health and human services (HHS) education programs, particularly in fieldwork settings. As part of a Canada-wide study exploring the experiences of disabled students in 10 HHS programs, we examined how HHS students described their experiences accessing accommodations in fieldwork to understand how conceptions of disability relate to students' fieldwork experiences. Using a critical disability studies framework, we explored how HHS fieldwork education understands disability, accommodations and professional competence and what those understandings reveal about the discrepancy between mandated accommodations and what happens in practice. METHODS Thirty-five students requiring accommodations in HHS fieldwork education participated in interviews. Through a critical interpretive analysis of interview data, we developed first-person composite narratives to show the richness and complexity of the students' diverse, yet similar, subjective experiences with fieldwork accommodations. FINDINGS Two composite narratives demonstrate how conceptions of disability incommensurate with professional competence expectations influenced student experiences with disclosing disability and obtaining accommodations in fieldwork. Fear of stigma and having one's competence questioned, or having accommodation requests denied for being misaligned with professional expectations, demonstrate how HHS fieldwork education and practice are upheld by ableist systemic structures. DISCUSSION The dominant medical model of disability in HHS education creates institutional barriers that require students to constantly (re)construct their 'professional' identity in relation to their 'patient' identity. This patient-professional identity construction relates to HHS professional competency standards and assumptions about what makes a 'good' professional. Suggestions include reworking competency standards and implementing critical pedagogical approaches to teach future and current HHS professionals to question both personal and practice assumptions. With institutional backing, such changes may support diversity within HHS and a culture shift toward more equitable education and health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey Edelist
- Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
| | - Shahbano Zaman
- Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Erika Katzman
- Disability Studies, King's University College at Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tal Jarus
- Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Meeks LM, Bullock JL. Transforming medical education: Implementing 'disruptors' to break the cycle of ableism. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 58:1023-1025. [PMID: 38775101 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
@meekslisa and @jbullockruns in @MedEd_Journal highlight the struggles of disabled students and call for strategic disruptions to dismantle ableism and foster inclusion in #HPE. #DocsWithDisabilities #MedTwitter #MedEd
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Meeks
- Department of Learning Health Sciences and Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- DocsWithDisabilities Initiative, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Justin L Bullock
- DocsWithDisabilities Initiative, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Nephrology, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Boyd T, Amanuel H, Mateo CM. When I say … inclusive teaching. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 58:1026-1028. [PMID: 38572782 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
In the latest, "When I say" inclusive teaching is presented as an active process involving the everyday work and engagement of i) educators, ii) medical students, iii) educational content and iv) teaching methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Boyd
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hanna Amanuel
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Camila M Mateo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Pediatrics Boston, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Beagan BL, Sibbald KR, Goree TD, Pride TM. Affirmative action and employment equity in the professions: Backlash fueled by individualism and meritocracy. CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE 2024; 61:241-261. [PMID: 39095938 DOI: 10.1111/cars.12480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
In the 40 years since federal employment equity initiatives were launched in Canada, they have faced persistent backlash. This backlash is grounded in and fueled by conceptualizations of justice and equality that are rooted in ideologies of individualism and meritocracy. Here we draw on 140 qualitative interviews with members of six professions from across Canada, who self-identify as Indigenous, Black or racialized, ethnic minority, disabled, 2SLGBTQ+, and/or from working-class origins, to explore tensions between concepts of justice grounded in group-based oppressions and those grounded in individual egalitarianism. Though affirmative action and employment equity opened up opportunities, people were still left to fight for individual rights. This push to individualism was intensified by persistent hostile misperceptions that people are less qualified and in receipt of 'unfair advantages.' Through discursive misdirection, potential for transformative institutional change is undermined by liberal discourses of individualism and meritocracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda L Beagan
- School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Kaitlin R Sibbald
- School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Toni D Goree
- School of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Tara M Pride
- School of Occupational Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Takagi-Stewart J, Prater LC, Marts E, Ayachit P, Jesus TS. Circumstantial variables preceding firearm suicide among females with and without mobility disability in the USA: comparative analysis using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System. Inj Prev 2024:ip-2023-045195. [PMID: 39025667 DOI: 10.1136/ip-2023-045195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mobility disability impacts approximately 12% of the US population; females are overrepresented among persons with mobility disability. Those with mobility disability are at increased risk of suicide compared with their non-disabled counterparts. Suicide using a firearm has increased among females in the last two decades. This study aims to describe and explore significant circumstantial variables (eg, socio-demographic, health indicators) preceding firearm suicide among females with mobility disability as compared with females without mobility disability. METHODS This is a secondary comparative, retrospective analysis of the narrative data from the National Violent Death Reporting System Restricted Access Database. Persons with mobility disability were identified through text mining and manual review and subsequently analysed with a summative form of content analysis. Pearson/Fisher's X2 or t-tests were used to assess differences in the circumstantial variables between those with and without mobility disabilities. RESULTS Among female firearm suicide decedents, persons with mobility disability were more commonly older (p<0.001), identified as a homemaker (p<0.001), were perceived to be in a depressed mood before death (p<0.05), had a history of suicidal thoughts (p<0.05) and were perceived to have physical pain (p<0.001); they less commonly had relationship problems (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Females with mobility disability who die by firearm suicide may be differentiated from suicide decedents without mobility disability by age, employment status, depressive mood, relationship problems and physical pain. The significance of these variables as independent risk factors for firearm suicide may be tested with prospective study designs, which in turn may inform the development of targeted or disability-inclusive prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Takagi-Stewart
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Laura C Prater
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Ohio State University College of Public Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Erika Marts
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Pooja Ayachit
- Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tiago S Jesus
- Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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16
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Nolan HA, Roberts L. Twelve tips for implementing trigger or content warnings in healthcare professions education. MEDICAL TEACHER 2024; 46:903-910. [PMID: 38104560 DOI: 10.1080/0142159x.2023.2290995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Trigger warnings are statements offering prior notification of sensitive content, allowing recipients to prepare for and avoid ensuing distress. Students are increasingly reporting expectations for warnings in classrooms and learning contexts. Discussions regarding use of warnings have clear relevance to healthcare education, which regularly explores sensitive content. Their use has been positioned as a measure for inclusive education and as a means to enhance trauma awareness and empathy. Expectations for warnings need to be considered in the context of preparedness for professional practice. This Twelve Tips paper explores the evidence in relation to warnings and its applicability to social learning contexts. These tips highlight considerations and strategies for the use of warnings in the context of healthcare education, balancing issues of inclusivity, learner and educator wellbeing, and professional preparedness. These discussions are situated within the context of current classroom-based healthcare education.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lesley Roberts
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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17
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Wyatt TR, Casillas A, Webber A, Parrilla JA, Boatright D, Mason H. The maintenance of classism in medical education: "time" as a form of social capital in first-generation and low-income medical students. ADVANCES IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRACTICE 2024; 29:551-566. [PMID: 37526802 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-023-10270-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
As first generation (FG)/low income (LI) students enter the elite profession of medicine, schools make presumptions about how FGLI students allocate their time. However, their lives are markedly different compared to their peers. This study argues that while all forms of capital are necessary for success, time as a specific form keeps classism in place. Using constructivist grounded theory techniques, we interviewed 48 FGLI students to understand where, why and how they allocated their time, and the perceived impact it had on them. Using open coding and constant comparison, we developed an understanding of FGLI students' relationship to time and then contextualized it within larger conversations on how time is conceptualized in a capitalist system that demands time efficiency, and the activities where time is needed in medical school. When students discussed time, they invoked the concept of 'time famine;' having too much to do and not enough time. In attempting to meet medicine's expectations, they conceptualized time as something that was 'spent' or 'given/taken' as they traversed different marketplaces, using their time as a form of currency to make up for the social capital expected of them. This study shows that because medical education was designed around the social elite, a strata of individuals who have generational resources, time is a critical aspect separating FGLI students from their peers. This study undergirds the idea that time is a hidden organizational framework that helps to maintain classism, thus positioning FGLI students at a disadvantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- T R Wyatt
- Center for Health Professions Education, Department of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Rd, Bethesda, MD20814, USA.
| | - A Casillas
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA
| | - A Webber
- Tufts Medical Center School, Boston, USA
| | - J A Parrilla
- Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA
| | - D Boatright
- Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - H Mason
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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18
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Jain NR. Legibility: knowing disability in medical education inclusion. ADVANCES IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRACTICE 2024; 29:507-530. [PMID: 37479819 PMCID: PMC11078834 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-023-10268-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
How medical students, their teachers, and school administrators understand disability appears connected to ongoing, unequal access to medical education for disabled people. The stigmatization of disability within medical education affects students' disability disclosures, yet few studies have explored how understandings of disability influence inclusion practices beyond individual student actions. This paper develops the concept of legibility, derived from a constructivist grounded theory study that examined disability inclusion at four U.S. medical schools through interviews with 19 disabled students and 27 school officials (faculty and administrators). With two dimensions (recognition and assessment of possibility), legibility demonstrates that knowing disability is relational, contextual, and equivocal. Drawing from the field of disability studies, the paper argues that the current paradigm of disability inclusion demands that students' disability experiences be highly legible to themselves and others, yet increased legibility comes with potential risk due to prevalent ableism. While individual interactions can shift understandings of disability towards greater inclusivity, systemic action that embeds liberating discourses of disability into medical education is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neera R Jain
- Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, Waipapa Taumata Rau - University of Auckland School of Medicine, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
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19
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Markle DT, Markle K. Supporting hearing impaired students in medical school. EDUCATION FOR PRIMARY CARE 2024; 35:127-128. [PMID: 39051494 DOI: 10.1080/14739879.2024.2373385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- D Thomas Markle
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - K Markle
- University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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20
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Jain NR, Nimmon L, Bulk LY. How to … bring a JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion) lens to your research. CLINICAL TEACHER 2024; 21:e13660. [PMID: 37874114 DOI: 10.1111/tct.13660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Neera R Jain
- Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau/The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Laura Nimmon
- Centre for Health Education Scholarship, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Laura Y Bulk
- Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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21
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Cabaniss P. Medical education experiences among medical students with chronic health conditions: A qualitative study. Soc Sci Med 2023; 337:116312. [PMID: 37862934 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Medical students with chronic health conditions are an underrepresented and often overlooked population in medical education. Previous research describes the dual roles they hold as both healthcare recipients and providers and details challenges they face related to accommodations and accessibility. However, less is known about how having a chronic health condition shapes the day-to-day aspects of medical education. To address this gap in knowledge, I conducted semi-structured interviews with eighteen medical students with chronic conditions and examined data using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings revealed the competing demands students face between medical school expectations and the need to manage their health. They work to reconcile these demands using tools like accommodations and strategic communication and by reconstructing narratives to re-assess self-imposed expectations. These participants understand having a chronic health condition as just one piece of their larger sense of self. Participants approach this understanding in individualized and nuanced ways, yet all share a cohesive view that their experiences having chronic health conditions inform their medical practice for the better through the development of genuine empathy for patients. This paper concludes with recommendations drawn from participant interviews of how medical schools can better support students with chronic health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peyton Cabaniss
- Yale School of Public Health, 60 College St, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
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22
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Jain NR, Scott I. When I say … removing barriers. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2023; 57:514-515. [PMID: 36869431 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Neera R Jain
- Centre for Health Education Scholarship, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Ian Scott
- Centre for Health Education Scholarship, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine, Vancouver, Canada
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23
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Pereira-Lima K, Meeks LM, Ross KET, Marcelin JR, Smeltz L, Frank E, Sen S. Barriers to Disclosure of Disability and Request for Accommodations Among First-Year Resident Physicians in the US. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e239981. [PMID: 37166801 PMCID: PMC10176117 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Ensuring access to accommodations is critical for resident physicians and their patients. Studies show that a large proportion of medical trainees with disabilities do not request needed accommodations; however, drivers of nonrequests are unknown. Objective To assess the frequency of accommodation requests among first-year resident physicians (ie, interns) with disabilities and to identify possible drivers of nonrequest for needed accommodations. Design, Setting, and Participants As part of the Intern Health Study, a longitudinal cohort study of first-year resident physicians, residents at 86 surgical and nonsurgical residency programs in 64 US institutions provided demographic and training characteristics 2 months prior to matriculation (April-May 2021). At the end of their intern year (June 2022), participants completed a new survey with questions about disability-related information, including disability status, disability type, whether they received accommodations, and if not, reasons for nonaccommodation. Poststratification and attrition weights were used to estimate the frequency of accommodation requests and reasons for not requesting accommodations. Interns reporting at least 1 disability were included in the analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures Prevalence of reported disabilities, residency specialties distribution, frequency of accommodation requests, and reasons for nonaccommodation among resident physicians with disabilities. Results Among the 1486 resident physicians who completed the baseline survey, 799 (53.8%) replied to the disability questions. Of those, 94 interns (11.8%; weighted number, 173 [11.9%]) reported at least 1 disability and were included in the present study (weighted numbers, 91 [52.6%] men, 82 [47.4%] women, mean [SD] age, 28.6 [3.0] years). Among interns with reported disability and need for accommodations (83 of 173 [48.0%]), more than half (42 [50.6%]) did not request them. The most frequently reported reasons for not requesting needed accommodations were fear of stigma or bias (25 [59.5%]), lack of a clear institutional process for requesting accommodations (10 [23.8%]), and lack of documentation (5 [11.9%]). Conclusions and Relevance Program directors should investigate cultural and structural factors within their programs that contribute to an environment where residents do not feel safe or supported in disclosing disability and requesting accommodation and review their disability policies for clarity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa M. Meeks
- Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | | | - Jasmine R. Marcelin
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical School, Omaha
| | - Lydia Smeltz
- currently a medical student at Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Elena Frank
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
| | - Srijan Sen
- Eisenberg Family Depression Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor
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