Recent improvements in public awareness of the abilities of students with hearing loss has contributed to gradually increasing numbers of these students in health care fields. Once they have overcome barriers to admission, these students face challenges during their training that require creativity and persistence to optimize their training. The small numbers of students and practitioners with hearing loss in the United States exacerbates the challenges faced by trainees, as the pool of available mentors is scattered around the country. To address the challenges faced by these students in medical training programs, the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses has compiled a list of resources that have permitted the successful training and practice of students with hearing impairments. These resources include assistive listening technologies, use of Computer-Assisted Real Time Captioning, ASL and oral interpreters, and modified stethoscopes. Other resources, such as development of a transparent surgical mask that would permit speech-reading in the operating room, are currently under development and will be another tool for trainees with hearing loss. Use of these resources will be discussed in some detail to encourage their utilization in all health care training programs in which students with hearing loss participate.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Recognize the unique needs of students with hearing loss in medical education. 2. Describe effective adaptations of the learning environment by successfully trained medical students with hearing loss. 3. Be able to utilize the presented resources to facilitate medical training of students with hearing loss
Keywords: Disability, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: The Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Loss (AMPHL) will be included as a paradigm for successful professional networking among hearing impaired medical professionals
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.