Previously submitted to: JMIR Medical Education (no longer under consideration since Oct 15, 2024)
Date Submitted: Jun 26, 2024
Enhancing Physical Accessibility Education in Medical Schools: Bridging the Gap for Inclusive Healthcare
The integration of disability education into medical school curricula has gained traction as a means to address healthcare disparities experienced by people with disabilities. However, current educational frameworks often neglect the critical aspect of physical accessibility in medical education spaces. This viewpoint explores the distinct need for enhanced education on physical accessibility—such as the implementation of ramps, automatic doors, and Braille signs—in medical schools. Drawing from existing literature, we highlight the gaps in current disability education, emphasizing the minimal focus on accessibility and its implications. By examining studies and recommendations from recent research, the viewpoint advocates for integrating accessibility education into medical training to empower future physicians in fostering inclusive healthcare environments. Recommendations are proposed to bridge educational gaps effectively, promoting a more holistic approach to disability education in medical schools.
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© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.