The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study
Background Disability disclosure and accommodation requests among US medical students have increased significantly, yet gaps in support persist. Disability resource professionals (DRPs) are one essential support in bridging these gaps, but only 9% of medical schools employ a dedicated DRP, leaving i...
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| Format: | Article |
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SAGE Publishing
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205251344771 |
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| author | Erin Broskowski Sarah E. Triano Kara James Rylee Betchkal Karyn LaTurner Echols Suzanne Hawks Ochanya Ogah Mytien Nguyen Lisa M. Meeks |
| author_facet | Erin Broskowski Sarah E. Triano Kara James Rylee Betchkal Karyn LaTurner Echols Suzanne Hawks Ochanya Ogah Mytien Nguyen Lisa M. Meeks |
| author_sort | Erin Broskowski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Disability disclosure and accommodation requests among US medical students have increased significantly, yet gaps in support persist. Disability resource professionals (DRPs) are one essential support in bridging these gaps, but only 9% of medical schools employ a dedicated DRP, leaving institutions potentially underprepared to address the needs of students with disabilities. Objective This study explored the roles, qualifications, and challenges of DRPs in US medical schools to identify barriers to job performance and inform strategies for strengthening and supporting this role in medical education. Methods An exploratory, cross-sectional survey was conducted in July to August 2023. A 27-question online survey was distributed through convenience and snowball strategy via social media and listservs. Questions addressed institutional structures, the size of DRP student caseloads, job satisfaction, mentorship, and barriers to managing caseloads. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and χ 2 tests, qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. The University of Michigan IRB approved this study. Results Seventy-nine DRPs from 72 US MD and 7 DO programs participated. Most respondents reported excessive workloads, with 30% managing caseloads exceeding 100 students. Less than half of DRPs (45.6%) indicated that their workload was manageable. Inadequate professional development, lack of mentorship, and low salary satisfaction emerged as common challenges. Respondents also reported institutional barriers, including stigma, faculty resistance to accommodations, and the complexity of coordinating disability accommodations across didactic, clinical, and testing environments. Discussion DRPs are critical to fostering accessible and inclusive medical education, yet systemic barriers undermine their effectiveness and place institutions at risk of increased student attrition, legal liability, and resource strain. Addressing these challenges requires investments in manageable caseloads, professional development for DRPs, faculty training, and institutional prioritization of the DRP role. Conclusions Systemic investments in staffing, training, and institutional culture are necessary to support DRPs and the growing population of US medical students with disabilities (MSWDs). |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c0e4612c2baa4cbdaa64288f95c92e13 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2382-1205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development |
| spelling | doaj-art-c0e4612c2baa4cbdaa64288f95c92e132025-08-20T02:17:29ZengSAGE PublishingJournal of Medical Education and Curricular Development2382-12052025-05-011210.1177/23821205251344771The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National StudyErin Broskowski0Sarah E. Triano1Kara James2Rylee Betchkal3Karyn LaTurner Echols4Suzanne Hawks5Ochanya Ogah6Mytien Nguyen7Lisa M. Meeks8 Disability Resource Center, , Chicago, IL, USA Division of Student Affairs, , Scranton, PA, USA Academic Support and Well-Being, , Rochester, MN, USA Counseling and Clinical Psychology, , New York, NY, USA Student Affairs, , Ivins, UT, USA , Winston-Salem, NC, USA Department of Internal Medicine, , San Francisco, CA, USA School of Medicine, , New Haven, CT, USA Department of Medical Education, , Chicago, IL, USABackground Disability disclosure and accommodation requests among US medical students have increased significantly, yet gaps in support persist. Disability resource professionals (DRPs) are one essential support in bridging these gaps, but only 9% of medical schools employ a dedicated DRP, leaving institutions potentially underprepared to address the needs of students with disabilities. Objective This study explored the roles, qualifications, and challenges of DRPs in US medical schools to identify barriers to job performance and inform strategies for strengthening and supporting this role in medical education. Methods An exploratory, cross-sectional survey was conducted in July to August 2023. A 27-question online survey was distributed through convenience and snowball strategy via social media and listservs. Questions addressed institutional structures, the size of DRP student caseloads, job satisfaction, mentorship, and barriers to managing caseloads. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and χ 2 tests, qualitative responses were thematically analyzed. The University of Michigan IRB approved this study. Results Seventy-nine DRPs from 72 US MD and 7 DO programs participated. Most respondents reported excessive workloads, with 30% managing caseloads exceeding 100 students. Less than half of DRPs (45.6%) indicated that their workload was manageable. Inadequate professional development, lack of mentorship, and low salary satisfaction emerged as common challenges. Respondents also reported institutional barriers, including stigma, faculty resistance to accommodations, and the complexity of coordinating disability accommodations across didactic, clinical, and testing environments. Discussion DRPs are critical to fostering accessible and inclusive medical education, yet systemic barriers undermine their effectiveness and place institutions at risk of increased student attrition, legal liability, and resource strain. Addressing these challenges requires investments in manageable caseloads, professional development for DRPs, faculty training, and institutional prioritization of the DRP role. Conclusions Systemic investments in staffing, training, and institutional culture are necessary to support DRPs and the growing population of US medical students with disabilities (MSWDs).https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205251344771 |
| spellingShingle | Erin Broskowski Sarah E. Triano Kara James Rylee Betchkal Karyn LaTurner Echols Suzanne Hawks Ochanya Ogah Mytien Nguyen Lisa M. Meeks The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development |
| title | The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study |
| title_full | The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study |
| title_fullStr | The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study |
| title_short | The Role, Challenges, and Employment Characteristics of Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education: A National Study |
| title_sort | role challenges and employment characteristics of disability resource professionals in medical education a national study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205251344771 |
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