Martin Angelika I, Hoffman Leslie A, Russell Abigail
Acad Med. 2025 Jun 23. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000006144.
Despite the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) individuals remain underrepresented in medical education due to the lack of adequate support systems in many institutions. This case study, authored by a DHH student and basic science faculty who worked closely with her, documents the comprehensive support strategies implemented to assist a learner in overcoming challenges related to her hearing loss throughout her undergraduate medical education. The student matriculated to Indiana University School of Medicine-Fort Wayne in August 2021 and graduated in May 2025.The student, who has severe hearing loss in one ear and profound loss in the other, successfully navigated barriers, including poor acoustics, overlapping communications, background noise, and the need for clear visual cues. To interact in different educational environments, including classrooms and patient care rooms, she utilized a combination of oral communication, lip-reading, a Bluetooth-enabled hearing aid, and a cochlear implant. The student also employed key adaptive strategies, including speech-to-text services, assistive devices such as amplifying stethoscopes, strategic positioning to optimize acoustics, and the "teach-back" strategy.This case study offers a comprehensive review of accommodations for a DHH medical student across both didactic and clinical curricula. The authors provide valuable insights for educators aiming to support DHH students by detailing the successful integration of tailored and proactive accommodations. Their experience underscores the importance of creating an equitable and accessible environment, paving the way for a more diverse physician workforce, and enhancing healthcare for the DHH community. The student's successful completion of the program and subsequent residency match underscores the potential for DHH individuals to thrive in medical education with appropriate support.
尽管有《美国残疾人法案》（ADA），但由于许多机构缺乏足够的支持系统，聋人和听力障碍（DHH）个体在医学教育中的代表性仍然不足。本案例研究由一名DHH学生和与她密切合作的基础科学教师撰写，记录了为帮助一名学习者在本科医学教育期间克服与听力损失相关的挑战而实施的全面支持策略。该学生于2021年8月进入印第安纳大学韦恩堡医学院，并于2025年5月毕业。该学生一只耳朵严重听力损失，另一只耳朵深度听力损失，她成功克服了各种障碍，包括声学效果差、交流重叠、背景噪音以及对清晰视觉提示的需求。为了在不同的教育环境中进行互动，包括教室和患者护理室，她综合运用了口头交流、唇读、蓝牙助听器和人工耳蜗。该学生还采用了关键的适应性策略，包括语音转文本服务、放大听诊器等辅助设备、优化声学效果的战略定位以及“反馈”策略。本案例研究全面回顾了一名DHH医学生在理论和临床课程中的便利措施。作者通过详细介绍量身定制的主动便利措施的成功整合，为旨在支持DHH学生的教育工作者提供了宝贵的见解。他们的经验强调了创造一个公平且无障碍环境的重要性，为更具多样性的医生队伍铺平道路，并改善DHH群体的医疗保健。该学生成功完成该项目并随后匹配到住院医师岗位，凸显了DHH个体在获得适当支持的情况下在医学教育中取得成功的潜力。
