Doctoring and Disabilities: Analyzing the Implementation of a Disabilities-focused Clinical Skills Program for Second-year Medical Students

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate second-year medical students’ change in comfort level after a disabilities-focused interactive session, with regards to disability etiquette and greeting, interviewing, and examining patients with disabilities. Setting: The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix Campus, doctoring suites. Students interacted in a clinical setting with volunteers with disabilities, including volunteers with blindness, deafness, mobility impairment, and language impairment. Students received 3 surveys during the study duration: the first before the event, the second after they had prepared for the event with didactic materials, and the third after the event. Participants: 46 second-year medical students participated in the event, and 29 students completed all surveys. Methods: Survey data was analyzed using paired t-tests wherever possible, with P <0.05 being interpreted as significant. Results: Comfort level for disability etiquette and greeting, interviewing, and examining patients with disabilities improved significantly for patients with blindness, deafness, mobility impairment, and language impairment. Although this change was significant for most measures from pre-event to post-event, it was significant for every measure from post-materials to post-event. Conclusion: A pre-clinical disabilities event in which second-year medical students interact with people with disabilities is effective in increasing student comfort level.