Experiences of medical students and doctors with dyslexia: A systematic review

Dyslexia can be defined as a neurodevelopmental learning difficulty characterised by issues with phonological awareness, affecting performance and progression within medical education. There is a need to identify how to provide effective support for medical students and postgraduate doctors with dyslexia. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the experiences of, and identify strategies for, undergraduate medical students and postgraduate medical doctors with dyslexia within existing literature.

A search strategy was undertaken on databases relevant to medical education. Included studies concerned either medical students or postgraduate medical doctors with dyslexia. A quality appraisal was undertaken and narrative synthesis employed to produce a final report.

Thirty-one articles were included in the final synthesis, with seven deemed high-risk of bias. Four overarching themes were identified. There are largely negative experiences, such as stigma, reported. Furthermore, dyslexia can impact assessment performance, with reasonable adjustments effective for written examinations. Moreover, strategies employed to reduce difficulties include peer support, organisational inclusivity and interactive educational methodologies. Additionally, dyslexia impacts the career trajectory of doctors.

Training programmes should promote an inclusive environment through raised awareness and provision of reasonable adjustments. A range of potential strategies have been identified to improve the educational experiences of students with dyslexia, but these should be flexible according to individual needs. Further research is warranted within postgraduate medical training and experiences in the United States.