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Representation of Disabilities in Medical School Curriculum

On Behalf of | Jan 23, 2025 | Firm News |

Education is one of the most powerful tools for shaping society. Yet, when it comes to representing people with disabilities, medical school curriculum often falls short. The absence of diverse representations only reinforces stereotypes, limits understanding and deprives everyone – students and instructors – of the opportunity to learn about all humans.

So, the big question is: how do medical schools better represent disabilities in the curriculum? Keep reading for suggestions.

The Importance of Disability Representation in Medical Education

Let’s begin with a reminder about how critical it is to create an inclusive and equitable learning environment. When students with disabilities see their experiences reflected in classroom materials, it reinforces their sense of belonging. And beyond benefiting those students, representation also enriches their peers. It promotes empathy and the idea that diversity is not only accepted but celebrated. After all, these students are training to be doctors, a profession held to the highest level of empathy.

Gaps in Representation

Unfortunately, many resources still discuss disabilities as challenges to overcome rather than showcasing the achievements and daily experiences of disabled individuals. And when representation does happen, it’s often outdated information or simple portrayals, such as casting disabled individuals as either inspirational figures or people to pity. These narrow perspectives don’t capture the normalcy nor the wonderment of the lives of disabled people.

Ways to Improve Disability Representation in Medical School Curriculum

  1. Integrate authentic voices. The most powerful means to improve representation is by incorporating stories and perspectives directly from disabled individuals. These voices ensure that educational content reflects real experiences and doesn’t perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
  2. Update teaching materials. Outdated textbooks and teaching resources should be replaced with newer materials that feature disabilities as a normal part of life. Material should also highlight the contributions of disabled individuals in various fields.
  3. Provide educator training. Instructors play a critical role in how students understand the world and, in this case, disabilities. For instance, providing training on inclusive practices in lab and clinical settings can prepare educators to address representation confidently and appropriately, even leading honest, respectful discussions in the classroom.
  4. Collaborate with advocacy groups. Building connections with disability advocacy organizations and other community groups can bring valuable insights to curriculum development. These partnerships can help ensure that medical materials are relevant, accurate, and reflective of lived experiences.
  5. Ensure accessibility of resources. This is discussed often, yet it bears repeating. Curriculum materials should be accessible to students with disabilities. This includes providing alternative formats like braille, audio recordings or captions for videos. And, yes, physical barriers should be removed as well.
  6. Evaluate and adjust. No school is perfect; this is about progress. So, plan to evaluate regularly and revise medical education resources based on your findings. Assess the impact of the changes made by gathering feedback from teachers, students and the community. Make adjustments as needed to ensure that disability representation continues to improve and that all students feel included and seen.

Education Litigation Group Helps Medical Students with Disabilities

Representation of disabilities matters. It sends a message about whose voices and stories are valued. When educational materials fail to include the perspectives and contributions of people with disabilities, medical schools (often inadvertently) contribute to the marginalizing of this group. Therefore, addressing the lack of representation requires intentional action.

If you’re a student with a disability, you have rights in medical school. Complete our contact form or call us if your rights are being ignored.

And if you’re an instructor, work to make the curriculum more inclusive for all students. Contact us if your school is refusing to improve representation of disabilities or ignores the rights of students with disabilities.

Find our contact form here. Our number is (800) 580-9167.