Training and Capacity Building

“Capacity building is a process that involves value added instruction, the training of trainers, activities with multiplier effects, and networking. It involves both institutional capacity-building, as well as human capacity-building.” -Global Development Research Center

A group of medical students talking to their instructor

There are very few disability health care training programs for primary care providers, residents, and medical school students. As a result, providers may not feel confident in their capacity to practice disability health or may even express ableist attitudes and provide ineffective care. In turn, a hostile environment can discourage people with disabilities from seeking lifesaving care. The National Council on Disability’s Framework to End Health Disparities of People with Disabilities considers developing a comprehensive disability clinical care curriculum one the five core components for achieving health equity for people with disabilities.

Disability Training for Medical Students and Family Medicine Residents

The Center for Disability Health and Wellness at the University of Michigan is partnering with the U-M’s Family Medicine residency program and other medical schools across the country to offer medical-student-focused seminars on the topic of caring for patients with disabilities. Disability health experts, clinical professionals, community partners, and members of the public will all be working together to educate students on disability health. The curriculum will include a comprehensive list of disability categories. Students will receive a summary of the recommendations discussed at the end of each session. They will then be able to put these recommendations into action during the final Disability Objective Standard Clinical Examination. This clinical training will include standardized patients with disabilities, or trained volunteers posing as patients, allowing medical students to practice patient care in the most realistic setting possible.

Seminar on Patients with an Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability (ID/D)

Summary of Recommendations - ID/D

Speakers

Brianna Marzolf: Dr. Brianna Marzolf is passionate and committed to improving healthcare for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Dr. Marzolf recently graduated from the University of Michigan Family Medicine Residency. During her residency, she completed a two-year Healthcare Administrators Scholars Program, to further enhance her understanding of healthcare management and administration. She completed her medical education at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (2020). As the first disability health fellow at the University of Michigan, she feels honored and enthusiastic about her new role. She aims to tackle the challenges faced by this community through a multifaceted approach that involves improved education for healthcare providers, pioneering research, and advocacy for policy changes. Currently, Dr. Marzolf is working with a team to create a novel “model” clinic named MI-CARE for IDD (Michigan Improves Care, Access, Resources, and Experiences) dedicated to providing comprehensive care for individuals with IDD.

Steve Erickson: Steven Erickson is an Associate Professor of the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy and a clinical pharmacist at the Michigan Medicine General Medicine Ambulatory Care clinic. He has a Bachelor's in Pharmacy from Ferris State University (1980) and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Wayne State University (1984). He has practiced as a pharmacist in community pharmacy, long-term care, and hospitals before joining the faculty as a clinical assistant professor at Wayne State University College of Pharmacy in 1990. There he developed a clinical service in the ambulatory care setting. In 1995, he accepted a tenure track position at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy. Notable achievements include 110 peer reviewed research publications, a book chapter on pharmacotherapy for patients with intellectual or developmental disability, creation of an interprofessional course “Health and Disability” with the goal of increasing health professional students’ understanding of the lived experiences of persons with disabilities, development of a comprehensive medication review program within the Michigan Medicine Health system for patients with disabilities, and collaborated with data scientists on projects that identified disparities in health outcomes of persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities. For the past ten years, he has focused his attention on work to ensure the safe and effective use of medications taken by people who have disabilities, specifically those who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. He works with community partners from supports and advocacy agencies along with research colleagues to better understand the medication-related issues faced by people with disabilities and the people who support them.

Carrie Bradley: is a passionate advocate for disability rights in the metro Detroit community. She identifies as legally blind and a caregiver to her son with Down syndrome. Carrie graduated from Detroit Public School and Wayne County Community College. Currently, she teaches Braille and digital literacy skills throughout metro Detroit and serves as a board member of Warriors on Wheels. She is also a member of the National Federation of the Blind and Helping Hands. As both a patient and caregiver for her son, Carrie is eager to promote healthcare inclusivity.

Seminar on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patients (DHH)

Summary of Recommendations - DHH

Speakers

Philip Zazove: Dr. Philip Zazove is a clinical and research expert in disability health, specifically, health services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. Professor and Chair of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan, he is active in clinical, educational, research and outreach activities. His main area of research focus has been health services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, and he has published extensively in this arena as well as obtained grant funding. He also serves on national boards and committees related to this topic, including the International Group Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Loss(link is external) the Advisory Board for the National Center for Deaf Health Research(link is external). Institutionally, Dr. Zazove serves on the Department's DEI Committee and Michigan Medicine's Anti-Racism Oversight Committee(link is external). And, as chair of the University of Michigan Clinical Practice Committee, he is coordinating a review of the appropriateness of all race-based algorithms being used at Michigan Medicine. Dr. Zazove was featured on CNN in 2015, in a piece titled: Deaf Doctor Makes Patients Feel Heard(link is external).He sees patients at the Dexter Health Center(link is external), and in addition to his practice there, he a physician within the Deaf Health Clinic(link is external).

Neika White: Neika White, a proud alumna of the University of Michigan, born and raised in Detroit, passionately advocates for disability awareness and equity. Having shared her unique perspective as a disabled, black woman working in a University setting, Neika strives to become a powerful voice in the discourse on diversity and inclusion. Through numerous presentations and panel discussions, she sheds light on the challenges and disparities faced by individuals whose identity includes disability. Neika's commitment to raising awareness and fostering understanding has proven to be effective and sometimes even life-changing.

Michael McKee: Dr. McKee is a family physician with clinical and research expertise in disability health. As a physician with a hearing loss, he is especially interested in advocating for the rights of Deaf and hard of hearing patients to obtain equitable health care including accessible communication. His research focus includes health disparities for individuals with various disabilities, health information accessibility, health literacy, and telemedicine applications. He is also interested in the application of eye trackers and mixed methodologies to study how individuals acquire health information through visual and incidental learning opportunities. Dr. McKee is on board of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses(link is external) (AMPHL). He is also currently an appointed member of the Roundtable on Health Literacy of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. He also serves on the AcademyHealth Disabilities Research Interest Group (IG) Advisory Committee, Member. He leads the Deaf Health Clinic (link is external).

Seminar on Patients who are Blind or Low Vision (BLV)

Summary of Recommendations - BLV

Speakers

Sherry Day: Dr. Sherry Day, OD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and a clinician at the Kellogg Eye Institute for patients seeking low vision rehabilitation. Her clinical interests include specialty contact lens fitting including keratoconus, irregular astigmatism, multifocals, post-corneal graft and aphakia. Dr. Day specializes in low vision evaluation to improve functional vision including assessment for appropriate optical and electronic visual aid devices as well as daily living skills. Dr. Day is an active advocate for her patients and her research publications can be found here.