Perceived images of disability: the reflections of two undergraduate medical students in a university in South Africa on life in a wheelchair.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this manuscript is to document the experiences of two undergraduate medical students at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, who registered for a 4-week special study module titled "Images of Disability", as part of the medical training programme. The objective of the module was to foster the development of positive attitudes toward persons with physical disability through role-playing.

METHOD

The special study module required that the students assumed they had mobility impairments and were physically confined to wheelchairs. The students were required to document their personal experiences of life in a wheelchair for five consecutive working days.

RESULTS

The students had to deal with their perceptions of the attitudes of individuals they interacted with, which resulted in feeling of inferiority and lowered self-esteem. The students also identified obstacles in the environment which hindered integration.

CONCLUSIONS

The students reported significant positive changes in their attitudes towards persons with disabilities.