Accessibility, Inclusion, and the Student-Supervisor Relationship in Allied Health Care Training Programs

• In Event: 47.039 - Promoting Disability Equity Across Health Professions Education: Considering U.S. and Canadian Students' Lived Experiences

Abstract

Introduction: The relationship between a student/trainee and their supervisor, curriculum advisor or preceptor is central to student success in allied healthcare training programs. Since supervisors often provide career advice, letters of reference to potential employers and/or further mentoring after graduation, the student-supervisor relationship is one of the most defining relationships of the student’s careers.

Methodology: In this work, we sought to understand the impact of disability/accessibility requirements on the student-supervisor relationship. We undertook a literature review/environmental scan, and a student survey, as well as drew from our professional and lived experience, to derive a synthesis and understanding of the student-supervisor relationship experienced by students with disabilities. This was conducted as part of the work of the National Taskforce on the Experience of Graduate Students with Disabilities in Canada (2012-2016).

Findings: Experiences of the student-supervisor relationship varied from very poor to very effective, with most relationships realized between two extremes: good in some ways, fair or poor in others. Students with disabilities and their supervisors who realized highest-quality relationships achieved a mutual understanding of expectations around roles and responsibilities. The roles of supervisor and student were negotiated around a multiplicity of topics, dependent on the nature of the training program, which may include: workload; disability accommodation; timelines to completion; mentorship; future employment; socialization to the discipline; the frequency of meetings; timelines; the type, nature and frequency of feedback provided; authorship and intellectual property (Skarakis-Doyle & McIntyre, 2008). Supervisors may also differ in how ideological or opinion differences are handled and communicated to their students (Skarakis-Doyle & McIntyre, 2008), which may reflect their own experience.

The quality of the student-supervisor relationship declined when expectations are not clear to both supervisor and student, or when they are not mutually agreed upon. For students with disabilities, there is a higher risk of mismatched expectations in the student-supervisor relationship as a result of additional factors associated with disability and accessibility management that must be negotiated by both student and supervisor. Situations where disability impacted the student-supervisor relationship significantly included: the definition and clarification of expectations around productivity and accommodation; student non-disclosure, fear of stigma and the evolution of potential crisis situations; and attitudinal barriers on the part of the supervisor. Attitudinal barriers on the part of the supervisor included: boundary issues related to the supervisor’s clinical practice; social integration into the profession; supervisor knowledge about the interface between accessibility and essential requirements; supervisor willingness to participate in dialogue on accessibility and inclusion; and appropriate clarification of expectations.

Conclusion: The intimacy inherent in a student-supervisor relationship is significantly greater than that found in a more traditional student-faculty member relationship. These qualitative differences are crucial to the success of the relationship. The potential impact of a student’s disability on the nuances of the student-supervisor relationship is significant, with the capacity to influence every aspect of the relationship. Because of this potential for far-reaching consequences, students with disabilities and their supervisors ought to consider carefully their choices around disclosure and accommodation need.

Authors

• Ainsley R. Latour, National Educational Association of Disabled Students

• Mahadeo Sukhai, Canadian National Institute for the Blind