Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the Healthcare Education Engaging Disability Studies Program (HEEDS). HEEDS is an innovative approach to a medical curriculum change that helps to diversify healthcare students’ knowledge of disabled patient populations and fosters compassionate practice techniques, especially in working with autistic patients and those with intellectual disability. Many medical schools and other healthcare professional schools lack implementation of diversity education related to working with disabled patients, while at the same time, many healthcare disparities are present in modern day medical practices. The HEEDS program will be described in detail, including an overview of the work of people with intellectual disabilities as standardized patient actors to help train medical students on interaction skills, an advisory board specializing in disability, a written lived experience from an autistic person navigating the healthcare system, and an overview of a disability and medicine seminar training series. Feedback from patients with intellectual disabilities on the importance of the HEEDS program is highlighted.