How are students learning to care for people with disabilities?: exploring the curriculum design of a sample of disability electives offered by US health professions schools

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Purpose There is an increased demand among health professions students for disability-focused training. We aimed to characterize the development and structure of a sample of disability electives offered at health professions schools in the United States. Materials and Methods A survey was developed to capture data on the curriculum design of disability electives offered at health professions schools across the United States. The primary outcome measures were elective development, elective structure, learner and instructor demographics, disability inclusion, and evaluation methodologies. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted, during which the survey was distributed to relevant professional societies focused on disability advocacy within healthcare. Results Data were collected on fifteen disability electives. Most electives were developed within the past four years, and many electives were initiated by students. The structure, duration, and evaluation methodology of electives were highly variable. Most electives took the form of a longer didactic-based course or a shorter clinical experience. All electives involved people with disabilities in some capacity. Conclusions Disability electives fill an important gap in disability education at some health professions schools. Elective directors should have an increased focus on assessing student learning and ensuring that people with disabilities are involved in elective design and instruction.