Disability Inclusion in GME: Resident and Fellow Physician Selection
This module focuses on disability inclusion and practices that enhance graduate medical education (GME) accessibility. It addresses common biases in the selection process and provides practical strategies to create more equitable and inclusive experiences for applicants with disabilities.
Problem
Faculty have little CME on ableism in GME selection, and ableism is harder to recognize than other forms of discrimination because it is rarely expressed overtly. The module had to make this implicit bias explicit, give learners enough conceptual knowledge to recognize it without overloading them, and provide clear, actionable steps for selection decisions.
Approach
I introduced ableism through realistic examples: comments from colleagues, digital forums, interviews. In the scenarios, learners act as a selection committee member deciding how to intervene when ableism occurs. Each choice gets feedback showing whether it interrupted or enabled it. The partner wanted video throughout; I used it in the scenarios, where short clips add immersion.
Result
Selected for the AMA’s GME Competency Education Program (GCEP) curriculum. Will be featured at Learn Serve Lead 2026, the AAMC annual meeting. Has drawn interest from medical institutions for faculty use.
- Organization American Medical Association™, co-developed with Docs With Disabilities Initiative
- Role Learning experience designer; designed and built the module and multimedia assets, 2026
- Audience Physician faculty
- Tools Articulate Storyline, Vyond