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www.cddh.monash.org [email protected]
Maintaining the focus on people (not pathology)in health professional education in
Developmental Disability Health
Dr Jane Tracy
Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria
Monash University
Melbourne
Australia
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Academic unit within Monash University Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences – est 1998
Funding: Disability Services, Victorian State Government Department of Human Services
Mission: Improve health outcomes for adults with developmental disability by developing the capacity of generic health service systems to better meet their needs.
Activities: Educational, Research, Clinical, Advocacy.
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.orgMy role there is Education Director and this
session will focus on our teaching………
(see website for details of other activities)
We are small: ~ 8 EFT positions – incl. 3 PhDTeaching ~ 2 EFT
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
We wanted to: Contribute to education of all medical
undergraduates in state (~ 300) Provide professional development
opportunities for medical practitioners in state
In 2000 in Victoria there was little medical education in this area ……We saw the need but lobbying for its inclusion in medical curricula was challenging because:
Competition for teaching time in the medical course is fierce
The population of people with developmental disabilities in practice populations is relatively small
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
We knew as doctors we needed to do much better in meeting the complex health and social needs of people with developmental disabilities
Vulnerable population with complex health needs and poor health outcomes – More un-recognised health conditions + life expectancy 20 years less than general population
Community based population – in the past health care was based in institutions – now in community so all health professionals will see people with developmental disabilities in their practice.
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Our first strategy was to try andconvince decision makers within the
medical school that it wasimportant to include DevelopmentalDisability Health within the curriculum
…. because we said so! Your greatest disability is your inability to see things
my way!(Ashleigh Brilliant)
We thought…
And when it didn’t work we thought …
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Over time we have learnt success is about
Timing
Hooks
Persistence
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
New challenges bring new opportunities
Changes to the course structureRevision of curriculumDevelopment of new medical courses and schoolsDemand from other health professional courses
new opportunities for us to contribute to medical education
Timing
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
We needed to listen for the ‘hot topics’ in medical education and thought about how to use them as ‘hooks’ for disability health.
Those hot topics are currently Chronic and complex disease management Interprofessional practice (effective teamwork in health care) Social inclusion, social justice and equity
Hooks
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Join committees Offer to do the work
Sometimes dead ends
Sometimes gold mines of opportunities
Persistence
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Educational activities now include:
• Undergraduate: medicine (5 university medical schools),
Monash Uni - Vertically integrated curriculum in disability throughout course:19 hours COMPULSORY + 6 week selective
• Undergraduate allied health and disability - paramedic, physio, social work, dental, disability studies.
• Postgraduate: medicine (GPs, psychiatrists, paediatricians), dentists, genetic counselors.
• Community Health Services: multidisciplinary healthcare teams – physio, OT, speech pathologists, podiatry, social work, psychologists, nurses, practice managers, receptionists .. and others
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Fundamental to all our Fundamental to all our teaching is the belief teaching is the belief
that those living with a that those living with a disability are the disability are the
experts on their own experts on their own experience, and their experience, and their direct involvement in direct involvement in
and contribution to the and contribution to the education of health education of health
care professionals is care professionals is essentialessential..
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
People with disabilities are powerful teachers.
Student feedback
“ I previously knew nothing about intellectual disability & how to work with someone who has one - I felt I learnt a lot.”
“Created awareness that everyone has the same feelings, emotions… with or without a disability. I now feel more open and comfortable (I used to feel scared). Thanks!”
“The first time I have been aware of the spectrum of communication differences and how I have to tailor my communication to best fit the patient.”
“A wonderful opportunity to deal with people with disabilities who were willing to help us become more understanding doctors as well as people.”
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
• Over the last 5 years here have been new challenges ….
• Increasing numbers of Victorian medical students (~300 ~800)• Increasing number of medical schools in Victoria (2 5)• Increasing number of placements across the state (centralised teaching regionalised)• Increasing requests from other health professional courses for contribution to curriculum • Increasing focus on interprofessional education and practice
But we are a small Centre – limited ability to offer face to face teaching
Need for resources • Resource development: for teaching, for health professional and community education• Community engagement: supporting people with disabilities to contribute to our teaching program.
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Textbook: Management Guidelines: Developmental Disability 2. (2005) Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited.
Teaching and learning resources
Interactive CDROM: Healthcare Scenarios in Developmental Disability Medicine (2005) CDDHV: Monash University
BUT these have a very medical focus
We wanted students to focus on people ….
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Need for resource that focused on
• People (not pathology): provided students with a personal context for their learning
• Interprofessional education: the value of working as part of a team
• Disability health: to improve health outcomes
The outcome
“Health and Disability: Partnerships in Action”
…and that’s another story!
Centre for Developmental Disability Health
www.cddh.monash.org
Dr Jane Tracy
Thank you for you attention.
Questions and discussion?
