2020–2021 Scholarship Recipient
Harvard Interdisciplinary Student Team
Harvard Medical School · Harvard School of Dental Medicine · MGH Institute of Health Professions
Scholarship Project
Interdisciplinary Development of a Guidebook for Clinical Trainees to Optimize Care for Patients with Disabilities
The interdisciplinary student team proposed developing a practical guidebook to help clinical trainees adapt patient encounters and physical examinations to better meet the needs of patients with disabilities.
Project Team
- Ethiopia Getachew — first-year student at Harvard Medical School.
- Camille Herzog — third-year student at Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
- Claire Rushin — first-year student at Harvard Medical School.
- Wunghee “Christina” Lee — second-year Doctor of Physical Therapy student at the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Health Professions. Lee compiled physical therapy best practices and advised the medical and dental students.
- Dorothy Tolchin, MD, EdM — Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Tolchin provided expert guidance and review, facilitated connections with people with disabilities and disability experts, and oversaw completion of the project.
Building on Disability Education
Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Dental Medicine had developed a longitudinal disability curricular thread through the Disabilities in Medicine and Dentistry Working Group, integrating disability concepts and skills throughout existing medical and dental curricula.
Addressing a Learner Need
Students reported needing additional guidance for creating inclusive clinical environments and adapting standardized examination approaches for patients with varying physical, intellectual, and sensory functioning.
Stakeholder-Informed Development
The team planned to review existing literature, interview health care professionals, and conduct needs assessments with people with disabilities. Guidebook content would be informed by patients and interprofessional clinicians.
Practical Clinical Guidance
The guidebook would emphasize patient-centered interactions, patient comfort, equipment use, adaptations to common medical and dental examination maneuvers, and effective communication techniques.
Project Goal
The project aimed to give clinical students a practical resource for providing high-quality, patient-centered care while adapting physical examination techniques to the individual needs of patients with disabilities.
