Deaf Health Pathway: Adding health promotion and prevention education to unique Medical Humanities curricula at the University of Rochester

Issues: There is a lack of understanding and cultural competency in the medical community of the Deaf community. To address these concerns, students at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, with faculty support, began the Deaf Health Pathway, which provides language and cultural lectures about the Deaf community to interested students. While the courses are successful, there is a lack of health promotion and prevention education in the curriculum.

Description: Changes made to the previous curriculum include: speakers addressing health risk behaviors specific to the Deaf community; students counseling, in ASL, Deaf standardized patients with health risk behaviors; students helping to make health education videos in ASL.

Lessons Learned: Medical students participating in the courses have an increased understanding of the health risks and concerns specific to the Deaf community. They have experience in counseling Deaf patients in health risk such as smoking and obesity. Members of the Deaf community in Rochester are more involved in the courses.

Recommendations: Currently, an external advisory board is being arranged to evaluate students' work for possible distinction upon graduation. Also, students will be formally evaluated on their ASL skills for language accreditation.