Inclusive Healthcare Education
We All Learn when Working with Standardized Patients with Disabilities
Author Bennett with John Kevin
By Peris Bennett, Kayla Shields, Dr. Rebecca Weston
Introduction
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) recently established an inclusive collaboration with Special Olympics to enhance healthcare education. Through this partnership, Special Olympics Maryland Health Messengers (HMs) with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are now employed as Standardized Patients (SPs) (or trained patients) at UMB, allowing healthcare students to gain valuable experience interacting with actual representatives of the populations they will serve. This initiative marks a significant step toward increasing the representation of individuals with IDD in healthcare training programs.
In addition to highlighting the importance of inclusivity and representation in healthcare education, this story shares the perspective of Special Olympics Health Messenger, Peris Bennett, who became one of the first individuals with IDD employed as an SP at UMB. His experience shows how inclusive education can transform healthcare training by giving students real, hands-on interactions and a deeper understanding of the needs of diverse patients. We hope this story also highlights the benefits of bringing individuals with IDD into SP programs, recognizing the positive impact on student learning and the importance of collaboration across different healthcare fields.
Inclusivity and Representation
Healthcare providers often care for people with a wide range of needs, yet traditional medical training doesn’t give students the chance to interact with those who truly represent these diverse groups, including those with disabilities. By employing individuals with IDD as SPs, this initiative helps fill that gap. It allows healthcare students to build empathy, improve communication skills, and gain a better understanding of the unique challenges faced by people with IDD, ultimately leading to better patient care.
“Healthcare providers often care for people with a wide range of needs, yet traditional medical training doesn’t give students the chance to interact with those who truly represent these diverse groups, including those with disabilities. By employing individuals with IDD as SPs, this initiative helps fill that gap.”
This interprofessional project includes students from the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Social Work at UMB who engage in collaborative learning experiences that mirror real-world healthcare settings. Including multiple disciplines also ensures that the care approaches are holistic and well-rounded, such as with medical students focused on diagnosis and treatment, nursing students emphasizing patient care, and social work students providing insights on patient advocacy and support systems. These diverse perspectives enhance the simulations' realism and prepare students for the complexities of interprofessional practice.
The Lived Experience of Teaching & Learning
Peris Bennet is a SOMD athlete from Baltimore County and Baltimore City who competes in at least five sports per year, including snowshoe, soccer, track & field, kayaking, tennis, flag football, basketball, bowling, and bocce. Over the past eight years as an SOMD athlete, Peris has grown through all of his experiences both on and off the playing field. He has been a part of Interscholastic Unified Sports (IUS), community programming, and athlete leadership opportunities. One example of Athlete Leadership is becoming a Health Messenger. A Health Messenger is a Special Olympics athlete who has been trained to serve as a health and wellness leader, educator, advocate, and role model within their Special Olympics communities and the community at large. The Special Olympics Maryland's Health Messenger program empowers athletes to serve as leaders in health and are trained to create healthy lifestyles for themselves and their community. Peris wanted to become a Health Messenger because he wanted to work on his physical and mental health while encouraging other athletes to do the same.
Starting the process of becoming an employee at UMB as a Standardized Patient, Peris initially didn’t know what to think or how to feel. He stated that at first, “It was a lot. I didn’t know how I was going to feel about it as I have never been around that many doctors, nurses, and social workers before.” On onboarding day, Peris and his fellow Health Messengers were able to take a tour of the Simulation Lab. This was a really cool experience for Peris as he was able to see firsthand what patient simulation mannequins look like as well as tour the space he would very quickly become familiar with. “I took a deep breath and reminded myself to just be myself and everything will be okay,” and after that, all fears went away. Prior to Patient Simulation Day, Peris had to “practice, practice, practice.” He read the script, practiced, read the script some more, and practiced some more. It took him a while to make sure everything in the script was accounted for but when the time came, he was able to relax and be himself (even though he was acting) when in this character.
Many of Peris’ key highlights from becoming a Standardized Patient include all the people he met along the way. Peris and his Standardized Patient partner John Kevin had an amazing relationship. John Kevin helped Peris feel more comfortable. Peris states that “it was nerve-wracking, but really fun” and that he can’t wait to do it again.
Peris states that it was cool to be a part of a bigger project and that learning more about the health field has changed his life. “I hope that this project and this opportunity continues to grow and open the door for more opportunities for individuals with disabilities to learn to be their own advocates.”
Conclusion
The collaboration between UMB schools and Special Olympics has paved the way for a more inclusive and representative approach to healthcare education. Through the employment of Health Messengers with IDD as Standardized Patients, students gain invaluable hands-on experience and develop a deeper understanding of the diverse needs of their future patients. Peris’ story shows us the impact that such initiatives can have, not only on student learning but also on the individuals who participate as SPs.
As healthcare education continues to evolve, initiatives like this serve as models for how to promote inclusivity, empathy, and effective patient care. By expanding interprofessional collaboration and increasing the use of Health Messengers with IDD, UMB and its partners are setting a new standard for comprehensive healthcare training that prioritizes representation and patient-centered care.
About the Authors
Peris Bennett is a Special Olympics Maryland Athlete and Health Messenger from Baltimore County. He participates in soccer, snow shoeing, track and field, kayaking, flag football and tennis. As a Health Messenger, Peris’ goal is to help his fellow athletes take control over their own fitness goals by educating them about the importance of exercise and physical activity outside of sports practice. Peris is also a Standardized Patient at the University of Maryland where he hopes to train students on how they should interact with patients with IDD.
Kayla Shields the Director of Inclusive Health & Fitness at Special Olympics Maryland. She holds a Master of Science degree in Adapted Physical Activity and a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports and Exercise Science. Kayla uses her expertise and passion in this field to provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports and physical activity to help them improve their overall health and wellness while achieving their own personal goals.
Dr. Rebecca Weston is an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. She holds a Doctor of Education in Developmental Education specializing in Curriculum and Instruction Design, is a Certified Nurse Educator, and is Vice President of the Alliance for Disability in Healthcare Education. Dr. Weston uses her expertise in increasing student engagement and interprofessional collaboration to help improve disability care and advocacy among healthcare students
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