S2 Educating Students with Learning and Physical Disabilities

Description

Episode 7: Educating Students with Learning and Physical Disabilities

Guest: Dr. Lisa Meeks

Co-Host: Dr. Renee Morales

Co-Host: Dr. Huma Farid

Overview

Episode 7 of Season 2 of Modern MedEd features a conversation with Dr. Lisa Meeks and co-hosts, Drs. Renee Morales and Huma Farid. They explored how medical education can more effectively support learners with disabilities by embracing systemic change, applying universal design principles, and cultivating a culture of inclusion. Key themes included the prevalence of disabilities among medical students, the persistent barriers to disclosure and accommodation, the role of universal design in reducing the need for individual requests, the influence of hierarchy and institutional culture on whether students feel safe disclosing, and emerging possibilities such as AI‑enabled tools to enhance accessibility in the future.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Supporting Learners with Disabilities

01:26 Dr. Lisa Meeks' Focus on Equity in Medical Education

02:31 Data on Disability Prevalence, Disclosure Barriers, Safety to Disclose

04:36 Structural Barriers and Stigma in Medical Education

06:48 Common Disabilities Among Medical Students

09:11 Evolution of Attitudes Toward Disability in Medicine

11:53 Universal Design, Systemic Approaches

13:35 Practical Strategies for Inclusive Education

18:49 Assessment Culture and Accessibility

22:30 Hierarchy, Power, and Psychological Safety

27:22 Faculty Development and Expectations