WIP 90 - Partnering with Community Members to Teach Medical Students to Provide “ADEPT-CARE” to Children with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: A Novel Standardized Patient Scenario

Publication Number: WIP 90.7358

Lydia Smeltz, Penn State College of Medicine, Hummelstown, PA, United States; Ami DeWaters, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States

Background: General disability health topics are severely lacking among US medical schools. These findings are even more pronounced when considering children with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), who are further minoritized by their I/DD and youth. To address the need for clinical skill development and improved I/DD curriculum in medical education and, we designed a standardized patient (SPs) scenario for second-year medical students to interact with children with I/DD and their caregivers.

Objective: The aims of this IRB-approved study are to 1) evaluate medical students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards disability health before and after educational sessions focused on I/DD and 2) assess the experiences of the children with I/DD and their caregivers who participated in the curriculum.

Design/Methods: A disability health module has been implemented into the mandatory education for all second-year medical students at our institution. In week 1, students will be introduced to “ADEPT-CARE,” a previously developed and published teaching tool for performing a comprehensive history and physical exam for patients with disabilities. Between weeks 1-2, students will view a video “ADEPT-CARE” in action depicting an idealized clinical encounter with a boy with Down syndrome. In week two, students will complete a simulation with pediatric self-advocates with I/DD and their caregivers (SPs). Students will receive immediate feedback from the SPs.

The primary endpoint of this study is the assessment of students’ knowledge and attitudes, which will take place in December 2024 regarding disability health, and specifically intellectual/developmental disabilities, utilizing a mixed qualitative and quantitative pre/post survey with previously validated survey items after the curricular intervention. The secondary endpoint of this study is the qualitative experiences of the children with I/DD and their caregivers who participated assessed via interviews in January 2025. Data analysis will be completed during the trainee’s research elective (Feb 2025).