Deafness among physicians and trainees: a national survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Workforce Diversity
• Disability Studies

Background:

• The number of physicians with disabilities is increasing.
• Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHoH) individuals face unique challenges in medical training and practice.
• Understanding the needs and experiences of DHoH physicians is crucial for inclusive medical education and practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHoH) physician and trainee population.
• To identify accommodations utilized by DHoH physicians and trainees.
• To investigate if DHoH physicians and trainees are more inclined to care for DHoH patients.

Main Methods:

• A web-based survey was administered to 86 identified DHoH physicians and trainees.
• Snowball sampling was employed to recruit participants.
• Data collected included demographics, accommodation use, career satisfaction, and patient population characteristics.

Main Results:

• Fifty-six individuals responded (31 trainees, 25 physicians), with a 65% response rate.
• Modified stethoscopes were the most common accommodation (89%), alongside auditory equipment and captioning services.
• Most participants were satisfied with accommodations, though some spent significant time arranging them.
• A notable percentage of trainees and physicians expressed interest in primary care and serving DHoH patients.

Conclusions:

• DHoH physicians and trainees generally report satisfaction with available accommodations.
• There is a clear interest among DHoH physicians and trainees in primary care and serving the DHoH patient community.
• Recruiting and training DHoH physicians can significantly impact the care of this underserved population.