Student-Led Workshop on Disability Advocacy.
Colette Piasecki-Masters, Nora Newcomb, Lydia Smeltz and 4 others
PMID 38466163WHAT IT FOUND
Medical students who attended a student-led workshop on disability advocacy reported increased confidence in identifying gaps in education and policy.
The interactive small-group brainstorming component was most frequently cited as increasing knowledge. However, this pilot relied on self-reported confidence from twelve matched participants and did not measure actual advocacy actions.
Key findings
01Participants were more likely to report being confident in identifying gaps in disability education, policy, and intersectionality after the workshop.
02The interactive small-group brainstorming component was noted by 72.2% of respondents as most increasing knowledge about student-led disability advocacy.
03There was no statistically significant difference in participants' likelihood to report being likely to participate in disability advocacy in the future.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The evaluation was based on a single session at one conference, limiting generalizability. The sample size was small, with only 12 matched pairs used for statistical analysis. The survey items were non-standardized and self-reported, measuring confidence rather than actual advocacy behavior or competency. Participants were attendees at a specific professional conference, likely selecting for those already interested in disability advocacy. There was no longitudinal follow-up to determine if increased confidence translated into sustained advocacy actions.
Declared interests
The study was conducted by members of the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP) Medical Student Council and national student-advocates. No specific funding sources or commercial conflicts of interest are declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the increased self-reported confidence as evidence that the workshop effectively changes advocacy behavior or patient outcomes. The study measured subjective confidence in a small group of medical students at a single conference, and there was no significant change in the stated likelihood to participate in future advocacy.