UCLA

Students with disabilities in college and beyond face numerous barriers to seeking out and receiving supportive services or disclosing that they have a disability. Research indicates that they are vulnerable to stigma, lack of support, and discrimination resulting in inequities in educational outcomes. Less is known about the challenges medical students with disabilities face and the ways they navigate these challenges. This descriptive, mixed-methods study highlighted the perspectives of medical students at one allopathic medical school to identify the types of the disabilities reported, the challenges medical students with disabilities experienced, and how they navigated their challenges. A survey was conducted of 204 medical students to identify the types of disabilities students report, and a Chi-squared analysis examined the association between disability status and the types of challenges students experienced in three dimensions: academic, institutional, and personal/inter-personal. Interviews with 18 students who reported a disability provided richer insight into the nature of the challenges that students experienced and ways they navigated these challenges. Drawing on the social model of disability framework, this study builds on earlier studies of medical students with disabilities and revealed a higher percentage of psychological and chronic health disabilities relative to other types of disabilities. Study findings also indicated that some academic and personal challenges may disproportionately impact students with disabilities relative to their non-disabled counterparts. Notably, students with disabilities pointed to systemic and institutional factors as key sources of their challenges. They described navigating challenges in a variety of ways, including by engaging in trial and error, drawing boundaries to prioritize self-care, and by relying on informal supports such as close friends, family members, and trusted mentors. This study highlights the dynamic nature of disability and recommends student-centered approaches when designing and implementing supportive resources and services.