Inclusive Spaces for Students With Disabilities in Health Care Education: What Do They Look Like?

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: Serving College Students Across Different Needs and Abilities

Abstract

Healthcare professions have the lowest representation of workers with disabilities compared to any other Canadian workforce sector. Better understanding of how to support people with disabilities to enter and graduate from healthcare educational programs could increase the number of people with disabilities in the workforce. In this study we explored the perceptions of students and clinicians with disabilities about health professional educational environments. In a longitudinal study, 56 students and clinicians with disabilities from five healthcare professions were interviewed for a total of 126 interviews. Data-analysis was informed by Grounded-Theory. Data revealed unique tensions that students and clinicians with disabilities face when they enter, graduate from, and work in healthcare. These results have important implications for creating inclusive educational environments.

Authors

• Yael Mayer, The University of British Columbia

• Tal Jarus, University of British Columbia

• Michal Shalev, University of California - Berkeley

• Laura Y. Bulk, The University of British Columbia

• Michael Lee

• Laura E. Nimmon, The University of British Columbia

• Alfiya Battalova, The University of British Columbia

• Susan Murphy, 'The University of British Columbia

• Elisabeth Gross

• Amelia Copeland

• Fouziah Khairati

• Gurdeep Parhar, Core Medical Centre