Skip to main content
AAPM&R 2025 Main banner
JFK
Final Program


Official Program
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
On Demand
On Demand
In-Person
In-Person
Livestream
Livestream
Invite Only
Invite Only
Ticketed
Ticketed
Coffee Break
Coffee Break
Meal
Meal
Reception
Reception
Rate ePoster

General Rehabilitation

Disability Education in Medical School Curricula Among Osteopathic Physicians and Medical Students in Florida

Friday, October 24, 2025
8:00 AM - 9:15 AM MT
Location: Original Research Theater

    Poster Presenter(s)

  • Danielle Broussard, RD

    OMS-IV
    Nova Southeastern University Dr Kiran C Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
    Saint Petersburg, Florida

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Ronald Tolchin, DO

    Chair PM&R; Medical Director Spine Center
    Baptist Hospital of Miami
    Miami, Florida

  • CE

    Christopher Ephron, Other

    OMS-II
    Nova Southeastern University Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine
    Clearwater, Florida

Disclosure(s):
Danielle Broussard, RD: No financial relationships to disclose
Christopher Ephron, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives:

Background: As of 2022, more than 61 million Americans are living with one or more disabilities. The strongest predictor of whether physicians welcome treating persons with disabilities (PWD) is their confidence in their ability to care for them. However, it is estimated that only 23% of medical schools in the US have a disability awareness program within their curriculum.

Objective: To investigate current attitudes and skills of physicians and students in assessing and treating PWD in effort to alter medical school curricula.

Design: Descriptive

Setting : Medical education and practice

Participants : Medical students and practicing physicians

Interventions: Two surveys were designed and distributed, one to osteopathic physician members of the Florida Osteopathic Medical Association (FOMA) and a local Osteopathic Medical Society. The other was distributed to NSU-KPCOM classes of 2026 and 2027.

Main Outcome Measures: Survey responses were used to evaluate attitudes, practice, and confidence in clinical skills regarding PWD.

Results: 76% of osteopathic physicians representing 9 medical specialties reported seeing greater than 1 patient per month with a disability and 32% greater than 10 patients per month. Furthermore, 72% reported their medical school didn’t provide instruction on caring for PWD, 64% reported feeling strongly confident in caring for PWD, and 24% report skipping over aspects of the physical exam to avoid making the patient uncomfortable. 77.5% of osteopathic medical students at NSU KPCOM reported not feeling well equipped to perform an interview and physical exam for PWD. 97.7% reported they would have more confidence performing an interview and physical exam for PWD if they received training/education before clinical years.

Conclusions: Our findings show a general lack of training and confidence in assessing/treating PWD at various medical education levels. Early exposure in caring for PWD is vital. Therefore, a proposal was formulated and implemented to include undergraduate medical education (UGME) disability training into the preclinical curriculum at NSU-KPCOM.