Strategies to increase accessibility for students with disabilities in health professional education programs: A scoping review: BEME Review No. 94.

Abstract

Purpose: Despite legislative changes, students with disabilities experience lower retention and higher attrition in health professional programs (HPP), compared to nondisabled peers. The purpose of this study was to identify strategies in the literature that may improve HPP accessibility for disabled students.

Methods: The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was applied to this scoping review. Five databases, four Google domains, and five websites of organizations that promote student accessibility were searched. Reviewers applied inclusion and exclusion criteria for title and abstract screening; conducted full-text reviews; and extracted and analyzed data using counts, frequencies, coding, and categorizing to identify strategies.

Results: Strategies to improve HPP accessibility were reported most often in literature from the USA, and by nursing and medical professions. The most salient strategy was 'types of accommodations' provided by HPP, followed by 'education, critical reflection and culture change for educators and staff.'

Conclusions: While types of accommodations are reported often, they may not be widely applicable nor generalizable given the number of students with disabilities are increasing and the need to consider each student's unique accommodations. A multi-pronged approach of education, critical reflection, and culture change for educators and staff may support shifting HPP more broadly towards embracing inclusivity.