Medical Student Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Abstract: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) make up about 7 million people in the United States, yet this population faces significant health disparities, including higher rates of heart disease, obesity, periodontal disease, and depression. Healthcare providers are often uncomfortable and unprepared to deliver care for individuals with IDD, frequently turning to paternalistic care which limits patient independence and further exacerbates health inequities. Improving provider knowledge, comfort, and familiarity is one way to mitigate these disparities, however, medical school programs often lack sufficient teaching of IDD-related competencies. This presentation will examine the ethical obligation of medical schools to integrate disability education into their curriculum, arguing that failure to do so perpetuates health injustices. Using the principles of justice, autonomy, and beneficence, this presentation will investigate how a disability curriculum can foster ethical patient care while reducing health disparities. It will outline key components of effective disability-competent training including skills, knowledge, and communication strategies as well as recommendations for integrating disability training in medical education through exploration of current curricular gaps and successful initiatives. In addition, this presentation will address feasible strategies to overcome barriers such as curricular time constraints through interdisciplinary partnerships and integration of IDD competencies into existing clinical ethics curriculum. By discussing the current state of disability training in medical education, this presentation provides a framework for integrating disability competency into health programs, ensuring healthcare professionals and trainees are equipped to provide equitable and ethical care to individuals with IDD.
Keywords: Disability ethics, Health disparities, Medical education
Learning Objectives:
After participating in this conference, attendees should be able to:
Analyze gaps in current medical education curriculum related to disability competent care and explore their ethical implications.
Propose actionable strategies for integrating disability training into medical education to address systemic health disparities and promote equity for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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