Inclusive Health Training Expansion to All MCW Campuses

Expanding MCW’s Inclusive Health curriculum to provide better care for patients with intellectual disabilities

Full Project Name:Inclusive Health Training Expansion to All MCW CampusesPrimary Community Organization:Special Olympics WisconsinPrimary Academic Partner:Erin Green, MD, MHPE, Emergency MedicineAward Amount:$50,000

Award Date

January2024

Project Duration:12 months

Project Description Narrative:

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have a higher incidence of health conditions and earlier onsets of chronic conditions, and on average, die 20 years earlier than the general population. One barrier to quality health care for ID patients is insufficient provider training, as 81% of medical students are not clinically trained in working with individuals with ID.

To improve access to quality health care for people with ID, this project will develop a comprehensive curriculum mode for MCW medical students in Green Bay and Milwaukee, who are beginning their clinical rotations. This will help them to begin their medical education journey with the foundational knowledge necessary to care for Inclusive Healthcare patients with ID.

The curriculum is developed in part with input from Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) athletes and their guardians regarding their healthcare experiences. Researchers hope that, ultimately, the project will help SOWI athletes, families, and ID community have the same access to health and wellness resource as others.

Community Partner: Aspirus-Emergency Medicine