Twelve tips for medical school faculty to support students with disabilities

Abstract

As medical schools embrace diversity, it is increasingly acknowledged that medical students with disabilities must be welcome and supported in becoming physicians. Students should be able to ask for and receive reasonable accommodations to support their education. However, a practical shared approach to supporting medical students with disabilities is needed. The 12 tips in this article use sense-making theory as a framework to guide medical school faculty in supporting medical students with disabilities. The tips center on perceiving cues, creating interpretations, taking action, and communicating with students. The 12 tips can be utilized by faculty members across universities to take a proactive role in implementing support for medical students with disabilities and, in turn, nurturing an inclusive educational environment.

Keywords:

• Disability
• diversity
• accessibility
• inclusion
• inclusive education
• sensemaking theory
• sense of belonging
• undergraduate medical education
• medical students
• accommodations
• faculty development
• medical school

Author contributions

MH was the principal investigator and lead author for this manuscript. TR and DWT contributed content, writing, and ongoing review and revision. All authors have approved the final version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grants from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Mikio Hayashi

Mikio Hayashi, MD, PhD, FACP, is a master’s candidate, Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US. He is also a lecturer, Center for Health Professions Education, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan.

Timothy Rogers

Timothy Rogers, is a director, Office of Disability Services, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, US.

Dorothy W. Tolchin

Dorothy W. Tolchin, MD, EdM, is an instructor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), part-time, at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US. She is also Director of Medical Student Education for the Department of PM&R at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, US.