About the Disability Network
Established in Autumn 2020, the WMS Disability Network consists of a group of students from across the MBChB and Health and Medical Sciences courses.
They share the goal of creating a supportive WMS community of students and staff identifying as disabled, affected directly or indirectly by disability, or by any health condition(s).
Our aims:
- Train staff on the needs and experiences of students with disabilities
- To then better support and educate students
- Educate students on disabilities
- How best to support their patients, and improve their skills as future doctors
- Expand and improve the content on disabilities in the MBChB curriculum
- Offer networking and support to students affected by any disability
- Form links with societies and organisations
- To help widen participation
- Liaise with WMS and Trusts to develop starting policies
- To promote equity and transparency
Following our research into disabled student outcomes, a large awarding gap and several adverse outcomes were identified (Revell, 2022). This was presented to WMS and wider university senior staff, who have undertaken multiple measures to examine the results and their causes further, and so increase accessibility and inclusivity for future students.
How We Try and Help our Students:
- Providing signposting and support - if you are struggling with disability or neurodiversity, whether for the first time or if this is a chronic issue - we can connect you with the right resources and people to support your learning journey:
- Helping you apply for reasonable adjustments and additional support at trusts - The Disability network has worked with staff to update WMS's reasonable adjustment policy to include measures such as the Health passport - tools which can help you inform Staff members on Campus or in Trusts that you may request a conversation so that they can better assist you in your needs.
- Improved accessibility: The disability network has worked to increase access to lecture materials for students. This includes lecture transcripts and subtitles to understand recorded content better
- Providing staff training - The disability network has, in the past, provided CBL facilitator training to try and ensure that learning needs of students (particularly those with neurodivergence and disabilities) are addressed and adequately supported during sessions. The disability network has in the past also contributed to staff away days, to help staff members at trusts learn how they can better accommodate students with reasonable adjustments
The response has been fantastic, from management to individual teaching staff who have been keen to know how they can do better… thank you, and keep up the hard work!
Additionally, the first WMS Reasonable Adjustments Procedure and Policy, created by co-founder Kirsten Revell, is awaiting final management approval, with intent to trial implementation for '21 cohort entering Phase 3 (October '23).