Standardised patients with intellectual disabilities in training tomorrow's doctors

Abstract

Aims and method To develop a programme to help undergraduate medical students and postgraduate trainees to improve their skills in communicating with people with intellectual disabilities through teaching sessions that had input from simulated patients with intellectual disabilities. We conducted four sessions of training for 47 undergraduate 4th-year medical students. The training involved a multiprofessional taught session followed by a clinical scenario role-play with simulated patients who were people with intellectual disabilities. The training was assessed by completing the healthcare provider questionnaire before and after the training.Results There were improvements in the students’ perceived skill, comfort and the type of clinical approach across all three scenarios.Clinical implications By involving people with intellectual disabilities in training medical students there has been a significant improvement in students’ communication skills in areas of perceived skills, comfort and type of clinical approach which will raise the quality of care provided by them in the future.

Intellectual disability content within tertiary medical curriculum: how is it taught and by whom?

“…Teaching opportunities, such as clinic days and the participation of people with intellectual disability in symposia and tutorials were provided in some units audited in the current study. Still, no Australian medical schools appear to approach the breadth of intellectual disability content covered by curricula in the UK [ 35 , 48 , 49 ], and the broader disability curriculum employed at the State University of New York [ 50 ].…”

“…In addition to being one way to meet human rights legislation requirements [ 14 , 15 ], inclusive teaching practice provides a powerful approach for changing attitudes and perceptions [ 35 , 36 ]. Such practice also ensures that students learn how they can successfully adapt their practice from individuals who receive these services [ 34 , 36 , 37 , 48 , 49 ]. Graduates who successfully learn how to adjust practice when working with people with intellectual disability through diverse educational exposure will likely be in a stronger position to contribute to meeting Australia’s obligation to provide equitable services for those with intellectual disability as outlined in human rights [ 14 ] and anti-discrimination legislation [ 15 ], and health policy [ 16 – 18 ].…”

“…Medical schools with an academic appointment in intellectual disability had, on average, a greater quantity of intellectual disability teaching than those without. Elsewhere, curricula in the United Kingdom (UK) with intellectual disability content and teaching methods such as actors with intellectual disability simulating patients [ 35 , 48 , 49 ] have been found to i) improve students’ ability to give accessible information to simulated patients, and gauge their understanding and ability to provide informed consent [ 48 ]; ii) detect previously undiagnosed disorders in community patients with intellectual disability [ 48 ]; and iii) choose suitable clinical approaches [ 49 ].…”

Hospital care for people with learning disability

“…All doctors should be able to attend learning disability training and develop a good working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, with specialist advice available when faced with complex situations (Department of Health, 2005). Involving people with learning disabilities in simulation training can improve communication skills and some post-graduate exams now include actors with learning disability (Thomas et al, 2014).…”

“…All doctors should be able to attend learning disability training and develop a good working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, with specialist advice available when faced with complex situations (Department of Health, 2005). Involving people with learning disabilities in simulation training can improve communication skills and some post-graduate exams now include actors with learning disability (Thomas et al, 2014).Attitudes towards people with learning disability are not always positive and some staff might hold prejudices that translate into discriminatory behaviours. Increasing contact with people with learning disability, both formally and informally, can foster understanding and lead to greater respect (Seewooruttun and Scior, 2014).…”