October 2013


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Disability Studies at the Faculty of Medical Services

The Unit of Public Health and Primary Care at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt. Hope has integrated Social Disability Studies into the teaching programme of fourth-year medical students at the Faculty of Medical Sciences. Via an “Introduction to Social Disability Studies,” lecturer Maria Thomas, assisted by Teresina Sieunarine led students through a process of sensitization that included building awareness of the experiences of persons living with disabilities. Ms. Stacy Parris, a member of the Disabled People’s International, Trinidad and Tobago Chapter, delivered a stirring rendition of one of her poems, entitled, “I have a question—What do you see when you look at me?” The process continued with information on the different models of disabilities, appropriate language for referring to persons with disabilities, and the importance of advocacy to ensure the application of human rights for this population.

Social Disability Studies at UWI began in Behavioural Sciences as an effort to support the integration of persons with disabilities into society. This social policy initiative from the Social Work Unit is designed to assist the social functioning of the community of persons with special needs by changing attitudes in the wider population. Students of Behavioural Sciences have benefited from this course and some have gone on to promote the rights of persons with disabilities in their various fields. The introduction of this course to medical students extends Social Disability Studies beyond the social sciences to professionals who would interact and treat with persons with disabilities during their own work experience. The two-hour lecture will be repeated every eight weeks to reach the six groups of clinical students.