JCON 705DA Disability Awareness and Skills Development for Medical Students

Credits: 1
People with disabilities comprise nearly a quarter of the U.S. population and are considered to be the largest minority group. However, education regarding the care of this population in medical school curricula across the United States is notably sparse. The lack of physician comfort and proficiency managing the care of patients with disabilities perpetuates poor health outcomes, barriers to care, and a general loss of trust of providers. The goals of this elective are to

increase medical students’ understanding of social and medical conceptual models of disability,
recognize the unique barriers faced by people with disabilities in the healthcare setting,
unearth and examine personal bias, and
develop technical physical exam and interviewing skills specific to this population.

These goals will be accomplished by centering the voices and lived experiences of people with disabilities as co-instructors in this course. Additional instruction will be done by OHSU’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) staff, the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program, OHSU faculty, and community organizations.

Graded: Pass/No pass
May be taken only once for credit