PURPOSE
Medical students with disabilities encounter significant barriers
throughout training. Thus, it is critical that institutions understand how to
best support medical students by addressing their specific needs and
accommodations. With the increasing prevalence of medical students who report
disabilities, this study examined national trends in specific disabilities
reported by medical students to better inform disability resource
professionals (DRPs) and guide support strategies.
METHODS
The Year Two Questionnaire (Y2Q) is administered annually by the
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to second-year medical
students. This survey collects important information on whether medical
students have disabilities and the types of disabilities they report (e.g.
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], chronic health disability,
learning disability, etc.). Publicly available aggregate data from the AAMC
was analyzed, and linear regression models were used to evaluate trends over
time.
RESULTS
Across 2020-2024, a total of 8515 medical students completed the Y2Q. The
proportion of medical students reporting ADHD increased significantly over
time from 52.6% in 2020 to 67.0% in 2024. While chronic health disability
demonstrated year-to-year variability (p < 0.001), there were no sustained
trends observed in this group. Reporting in other disability categories (e.g.
learning disability, mobility disability) remained relatively stable across
survey years.
CONCLUSION
Better understanding trends in disability among medical students can aid
medical schools and DRPs in providing the specific accommodations for their
students. With a marked increase in ADHD prevalence and awareness of various
disabilities, it is essential to continue monitoring these trends to help DRPs
anticipate and meet the needs of their medical students with disabilities.