Developing Skills for Developmental Disabilities: Assessing Efficacy in An Innovative Preclinical Elective

Abstract BACKGROUND: Many medical students feel they are not trained with adequate skills and knowledge regarding cognitive and physical disability. Because of this, students may have poor clinical skills in assessing developmental delays and discomfort when interacting with these patients. “Developing Skills for Developmental Disabilities (DSDD)” is a 12-hour preclinical (years 1 and 2) elective developed collaboratively by a group of medical students and developmental pedi-atric faculty. This elective provides training in disability, behaviour, family challenges, and available interventions via faculty presentations, peer teaching, simulation sessions, and observation of a clinical developmental intervention program. OBJECTIVES: Our objective is to assess the efficacy of this new elective-which aims to assist students in correctly and comfortably identifying pediatric patients with, or at risk for, developmental delays and ininterac-tions withfamily members. DESIGN/METHODS: Participating students completed a 10-question survey (responses administered on a 5 point Likert scale) at the start and end of the elective, whereby they self-assessed confidence and knowledge when engagingchildren with developmental disabilities. This questionnaire was adapted from confidence surveys used for other curriculum assessments. RESULTS: 22 preclinical students enrolled in DSDD. Of these, 20 completed the elective and both surveys. Out ofthe 20 participants, 8 (40%) had previous work experience with disability, and 11 (55%) had personal experience (family or friend related). A significant (p0.001, CI 95%) increase in self-reported confidence was seen in 8 of10 survey questions. CONCLUSION: Overall, DSSD increased preclinical students' self-reported confidence and knowledge regarding pediatric patients with developmental disabilities. Future plans include arepeatsurveycomparing students who opt to take the elective with a control group, randomly selected from the remainder of the class. This willaddress any potential self-selection bias. Because this brief form of intervention was significant in increasing student confidence and skill, aspects of this approach may be adapted into teaching tools for office practice (e.g. assessing development and/ordiscussing care with parents) when medical students are working alongside general pediatricians seeing children with chronic developmental disabilities.