Ifeoma Ikedionwu, Kirsten Ludwig, Dominique Cook, Marjorie Fitzsimmons, Allison Liu, Benjamin Case, Eli Falk, Jeanne Farnan, Lisa M Meeks
{"title":"Evaluating Disability-Inclusive Content on U.S. Medical Schools' Websites: A National Study.","authors":"Ifeoma Ikedionwu, Kirsten Ludwig, Dominique Cook, Marjorie Fitzsimmons, Allison Liu, Benjamin Case, Eli Falk, Jeanne Farnan, Lisa M Meeks","doi":"10.1097/ACM.0000000000006133","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>PurposeDespite national calls for disability inclusion in medical education, medical students with disabilities (MSWD) continue to face systemic barriers. One understudied but critical factor is how medical schools publicly communicate their commitment to inclusion, especially through their websites, which often serve as the initial point of reference for prospective applicants. In this research report, the authors evaluate the presence and quality of disability-inclusive content on the websites of U.S. MD-granting medical schools and assess alignment with best practices.MethodFrom May 2023 to July 2023 a cross-sectional content analysis was performed on the websites of all but one U.S. MD-granting medical schools listed in the annual Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) Organizational Characteristics Database. Websites were independently reviewed by trained coders using a 5-item rubric based on AAMC and American Medical Association recommendations and scored on 5 themes: (1) disability in diversity statements, (2) accommodations request instructions, (3) affiliation with national MSWD organizations, (4) comprehensive technical standards, and (5) public technical standards. The \"total disability inclusion\" score ranged from 0 to 8.ResultsThe national average disability inclusion score was 5.9/8. Most school websites (96.1%) provided accommodation instructions, but only 38.3% included disability in public diversity statements. Technical standards were publicly available in 92.9% of cases but varied in clarity and accessibility. No significant associations were found between inclusion scores and institutional characteristics, though regional patterns were observed.ConclusionsDespite progress, public messaging on disability inclusion remains inconsistent. Clear, inclusive website content is essential to attract and support MSWD and should be guided by national standards and mechanisms for accountability.</p>","PeriodicalId":50929,"journal":{"name":"Academic Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Academic Medicine","FirstCategoryId":"95","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000006133","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Abstract: PurposeDespite national calls for disability inclusion in medical education, medical students with disabilities (MSWD) continue to face systemic barriers. One understudied but critical factor is how medical schools publicly communicate their commitment to inclusion, especially through their websites, which often serve as the initial point of reference for prospective applicants. In this research report, the authors evaluate the presence and quality of disability-inclusive content on the websites of U.S. MD-granting medical schools and assess alignment with best practices.MethodFrom May 2023 to July 2023 a cross-sectional content analysis was performed on the websites of all but one U.S. MD-granting medical schools listed in the annual Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) Organizational Characteristics Database. Websites were independently reviewed by trained coders using a 5-item rubric based on AAMC and American Medical Association recommendations and scored on 5 themes: (1) disability in diversity statements, (2) accommodations request instructions, (3) affiliation with national MSWD organizations, (4) comprehensive technical standards, and (5) public technical standards. The "total disability inclusion" score ranged from 0 to 8.ResultsThe national average disability inclusion score was 5.9/8. Most school websites (96.1%) provided accommodation instructions, but only 38.3% included disability in public diversity statements. Technical standards were publicly available in 92.9% of cases but varied in clarity and accessibility. No significant associations were found between inclusion scores and institutional characteristics, though regional patterns were observed.ConclusionsDespite progress, public messaging on disability inclusion remains inconsistent. Clear, inclusive website content is essential to attract and support MSWD and should be guided by national standards and mechanisms for accountability.
期刊介绍:
Academic Medicine, the official peer-reviewed journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, acts as an international forum for exchanging ideas, information, and strategies to address the significant challenges in academic medicine. The journal covers areas such as research, education, clinical care, community collaboration, and leadership, with a commitment to serving the public interest.