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Area of Concentration
in Disabilities Medicine
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| Heidi Feldman MD PhD, Department of
Pediatrics |
| Betty Liu MD, Department
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| Faculty Steering Committee Members |
| Michael Boninger MD PhD, Department
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| Peter Bulova MD, Department of Medicine |
| William Cohen MD, Department of Pediatrics |
| Brad Dicianno, MD, Department of Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation |
| Andrea Fox MD, Department of Medicine,
Geriatrics |
| Ronald Glick MD, Department of Psychiatry,
Integrative Medicine |
| Sara Hamel MD, Department of Pediatrics |
| Benjamin Handen PhD, Department
of Psychiatry |
| Kenneth Thompson MD, Department of Psychiatry,
Community Psychiatry |
 |
The Area of Concentration
(AOC) is a voluntary program that allows medical students
to pursue a rigorous, four-year academic program in
an
area of specific interest while studying the standard
medical school curriculum. The Area of Concentration
in
Disabilities Medicine is designed for a small number
of students with a strong interest in developing additional
expertise in the issues facing individuals with disabilities
in our health care system and society. A certificate
from
the School of Medicine will be awarded at the completion
of four years of requirements.
Disabilities Medicine prepares interested medical students
for health care careers serving children and adults with
disabilities. Disabilities Medicine encompasses the body
of knowledge about disabilities at multiple levels of
analysis: the biological basis of disability, recommended
clinical practices, functional impacts of disability
and its treatment, environmental, social and community
determinants of outcomes, and public health. The AOC
promotes the development of skills in person- and family-centered
practice, collaborative decision-making, functional assessments,
cultural competence, and chronic care delivery. Participants
learn about community resources and policies that interact
with health care to improve clinical and functional outcomes
for people with disabilities. Students who participate
in the AOC in Disabilities Medicine support the inclusion
of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of community
life. |
|
Disabilities are chronic
conditions that significantly impact the life experiences
of affected individuals. Individuals with disabilities
use health care and related services at rates far exceeding
the population without disabilities. Therefore, physicians
of all specialties and subspecialties are routinely called
upon to care for individuals with disabilities and other
chronic conditions.
Health care in the United States is poorly designed to
deliver chronic care to individuals with disabilities,
according to an influential report by the Institute of
Medicine entitled, Crossing the Quality Chasm: A
new health system for the 21st century. The problems
have been noted by professionals and public officials.
For example,
a recent Surgeon General's report, entitled Closing
the Gap: A National Blueprint to Improve the Health
of
Persons with Mental Retardation, highlighted the
health disparities of one group of individuals with
cognitive
impairments. In addition, Chapter 6 of Healthy People
2010, the blueprint for national health goals,
focuses on promoting the health of individuals with
disabilities,
preventing secondary conditions, and eliminating disparities
between people with and without disabilities in the
U.S.
population. |
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This program is designed
to meet three major goals:
- To increase understanding about
the nature of disabilities and their impact on individuals,
families, communities, service providers, and the
health care system.
- To prepare medical students for
careers that serve individuals with disabilities and
their families in an appropriate, helpful, and respectful
manner.
- To encourage medical students and
physicians to participate in the creation, implementation
and evaluation of policies and programs for individuals
with disabilities.
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By the conclusion of
this program, participants will be able to:
- Discuss disabilities from multiple
perspectives, such as etiology, prevalence, recommended
practices, impact on affected individuals, and
social
participation.
- Define, practice, and promote person-centered
and family-centered, culturally competent care.
- Describe challenges that individuals
with disabilities face in obtaining high quality chronic
care.
- Support the inclusion of individuals
with disabilities in regular education or community
life.
- Interact with non-medical services
and resources that support individuals with disabilities.
- Recognize the contribution of public
policies such as the Americans with Disabilities
Act
and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act on
the care of individuals with disabilities.
- Contribute new knowledge about
disabilities through research, innovative practice
or scholarly
activity.
|
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Faculty Mentor: Students
maintain regular contact with a knowledgeable faculty
member who has interest or experience in the area
of disabilities. The faculty member oversees the
student's
academic program and progress.
Research Project:
Students participate in research or a scholarly project
under
faculty supervision and disseminate their results
in abstracts, poster presentations, publications,
or related venues. This project may be used to satisfy
requirements for a scholarly project.
Community-based or Non-medical
Services: Students visit at least two
agencies, services, or programs associated with
disabilities. This requirement can be met by visiting
or volunteering at United Cerebral Palsy, the ARC,
early intervention programs, special education
programs, Special Olympics, and others.
Disabilities Medicine Lunch
Seminars: Students attend monthly informal
meetings to learn about disabilities from individuals
with disabilities or their family members. Participants
are encouraged to contribute to discussions and
to learn about the patient and family perspective.
Disabilities Medicine Journal
Clubs: Students participate in a monthly
journal club and are encouraged to assume leadership
for the choice of topics and readings and for leading
discussions. Topics usually center on current practice
guidelines or evaluations of innovative treatments.
Fourth Year Elective:
Students take a one-month elective in Disabilities
Medicine which provides a set of diverse experiences
in various hospital and community agencies.
Reflective Journal:
Students keep a reflective journal throughout the
program. Entries may include thoughts or feelings
about visits to community services, patients encountered
on standard rotations, discussions from seminars
or journal clubs, current events, and personal growth.
Portfolio: Students
assemble a portfolio that includes a personal
statement of philosophy, as well as papers, research
projects, clinical notes, selected journal entries,
evaluations, and other evidence of the educational
experience. A committee of two faculty members evaluates
the portfolio in the fourth year.
|
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The requirements
for the AOC span across all four years of medical
school
and include the following areas: Content, Service,
Mentorship, Clinical Experience, and Scholarship.
Opportunities to meet these requirements are delineated
by year:
Year 1:
- Attendance at Disabilities Medicine
Lunch Seminars
- Attendance at Disabilities Medicine
Journal Clubs
- By end of year, declare enrollment
in the AOC
Summer between Year 1 and
Year 2:
- Recommended time for research or scholarly
project
Year 2:
- Identification of faculty member
- Continued attendance at lunch seminars
and journal clubs
- Visits to non-medical services
for individuals with disabilities
- Participation in poster presentations
about scholarly projects
- Reflective journaling and beginning
of creation of portfolio
- Selected readings on disability
as they relate to standard curriculum
Year 3:
- Attendance at lunch seminars
and journal clubs as feasible during clinical rotations
- Regular meetings with faculty member
- Continued journaling and creation
of portfolios
Year 4:
- Attendance at lunch seminars and
journal clubs as feasible
- Continued journaling and creation
of portfolios
- Fourth year elective in Disabilities
Medicine
- Completion of research or scholarly
project
- Regular meetings with faculty member
(at least 4 times during the year)
- Reflective journal for faculty
evaluation
- Presentation of portfolio
|
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- Students meet with faculty mentors
four times per year for formative evaluations.
- Students present their portfolios
to a committee of two faculty members for a summative
evaluation.
- Students demonstrate satisfactory
completion of all requirements.
|
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- Students evaluate faculty
members on an annual basis using the OMET forms. Supplemental
questions may be included to evaluate the quality of
mentorship.
- Students are encouraged to meeting
confidentially with the AOC faculty directors to
address concerns.
- Students may request a change of
mentor without jeopardizing completion of the program.
- Students fill in a standardized,
confidential AOC evaluation form immediately prior
to certification.
- An annual meeting of all participating
students and faculty members on the steering committee
evaluates the success of the program.
|
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- A brief description of
the program will be included in materials sent
to prospective medical students.
- A more detailed description will
be mailed to students accepted to the school.
- A table facilitated by students will
be set up during New Student Orientation to distribute
information, answer questions, and inform about the
application procedure.
- Standardized application forms will
be supplemented with the submission of a personal
statement and a letter of recommendation regarding
the applicants commitment to disabilities.
- Students who follow the procedures
are accepted as students.
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International Classification of Functioning,
Disability, and Health:
http://www3.who.int/icf/icftemplate.cfm
Crossing the quality chasm: Institute of Medicine
(IOM) Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System
for the 21st Century (2001) Washington DC: National
Academies Press
http://www.nap.edu/openbook/0309072808/html/
Healthy
People 2010, Chapter 6:
http://www.healthypeople.gov/document/html/volume1/06disability.htm
Batshaw, M. (1997). Children with Disabilities (Fourth
Edition), Baltimore: Paul Brookes.
Surgeon
General's Report: U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Mental Health: A Report of the
Surgeon General—Executive Summary. Rockville,
MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center
for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of
Health, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/summary.html |
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The UCLID Center at the University
of Pittsburgh
Children’s Hospital Office Building
3414 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2583
Please call 412-692-6300 or email uclid@pitt.edu for
more information. |
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