Needs assessment of medical curricula development for patients with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities or non-english language preferences

Abstract

Abstract Objective Individuals with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities (P/IDD) and those with non-English language preferences (NELP) experience significant health disparities, which have been traced to inadequacies in medical training. There is a need to create inclusive national standardized medical curricula by examining the curricular priorities in small-scale examples for implementation. Methods 32 medical students at a community-founded and student-centered medical school participated in an open-ended survey and curricular priorities were identified. Results Curricular priorities for P/IDD patients were understanding diverse clinical presentations, care for disabled adults, and transitioning into adulthood. For NELP patients, priorities were increasing representation of minority physicians, navigating care for unfamiliar cultures, and help with government services. Conclusions Medical students emphasized a need for P/IDD and NELP-specific using video lectures and hands-on practical experience.