Learning differences and medical education

Abstract

Learning disabilities are the most common type of disability among medical students and may first present as a problem during medical school or later impairing achievement and clinical performance. In this chapter, the author provides a conceptual framework and vocabulary for understanding and describing the wide range of normal variations in cognitive abilities of all students, including medical students. He describes how learning challenges can be viewed through two lenses, each with their own therapeutic implications. When a medical trainee has a diagnosed learning disability, defined as a discrepancy between intellectual capacity and actual performance, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires the educational institution to provide the student with reasonable accommodations. Further recent understanding of neurocognitive function and plasticity has provided a new lens through which to view relative learning weaknesses. In this view, individuals have a neurocognitive profile, which in certain educational contexts may produce learning challenges. Based on his extensive experience working with professional students who struggle with learning, the author provides advice on identifying effective strategies to assist these students in becoming excellent physicians.