What undergraduate and graduate students should know about disability

Abstract

Children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often encounter a healthcare network that is limited in scope, size, and preparation.This system often results in lower quality of care and gaps in service owing substantially to the absence of appropriately trained providers.It is evident that the way in which we prepare physicians, psychologists and other practitioners needs greater attention. This chapter will address the many ways that health education programs can address disability issues: didactic instruction, community service encounters, clinical clerkships, standardized patient (SP) encounters, panel discussions with patients, advocates, and family members; in addition to home visits where students interact with individuals with disabilities outside of a healthcare setting.