Promoting equity on licensing exams: Test accommodations for medical students with diabetes

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Disability Accommodations
• Public Health

Background:

• Diabetes is a prevalent physical impairment among USMLE examinees seeking accommodations.
• Understanding the USMLE test accommodations process for individuals with diabetes is crucial for medical education equity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the USMLE test accommodations process for examinees with diabetes in 2023.
• To present data on accommodation request numbers, types, and approval rates for diabetes.
• To evaluate the processing times for these accommodation requests.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 2023 population-level data on USMLE accommodation requests.
• Categorization of requests based on diabetes as the cited impairment.
• Examination of approval rates and processing timelines.

Main Results:

• The USMLE approves the vast majority of accommodation requests from examinees with diabetes, in full or in part.
• Less than 1.1% of diabetes-related accommodation requests exceeded the 60-business day processing timeline.
• 42.1% of requests were approved within one business day.

Conclusions:

• The USMLE accommodation process for individuals with diabetes is efficient and largely favorable.
• Data refutes the misconception that seeking accommodations for diabetes is burdensome.
• The findings support equitable access to medical licensing examinations for individuals with diabetes.