As a key health influencer in the areas of health education, services, and delivery, AAPM&R is proud to announce it is the recipient of an SOI Inclusive Health Innovation grant, which aims to improve education for resident and attending physicians regarding care for people with IDD.
Priya Chandan, MD, MPH, assistant professor in the University of Louisville (Kentucky) School of Medicine Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation is leading the Academy’s efforts as part of this national project to help future physicians become more knowledgeable about caring for patients with IDD throughout their lives. Chandan, who has an older brother with Down syndrome, has a personal understanding of the need for physicians who can provide equitable care for people with IDD. Darryl Kaelin, MD, FAAPMR, chief, professor, and residency director of the UofL Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and president of AAPM&R, also is working on the project.
Over the course of the year, Drs. Chandan and Kaelin will work to create:
- a resolution voicing AAPM&R’s commitment to inclusion of people with ID in clinical training, practice, and research
- a comprehensive case statement for PM&R residency directors, describing strategies to include patients with IDD in PM&R residency training
- actionable goals and objectives that outline a core curriculum for PM&R residents regarding treating patients with IDD
- CME activities for practicing physicians
As a field of medicine that focuses on optimizing function and improving the quality of life for people with temporary or permanent disability, physiatrists are a natural fit for this important initiative.
Be on the lookout for updates on this project in an upcoming issue of The Physiatrist.