Defining the Black population in Canadian health research: a scoping review.

Residents with disabilities represent a significant population of physician learners with distinct needs related to accommodations and support systems throughout residency training [–]. Approximately 2.6–3.1% of practicing physicians in the United States report having a disability, though this is likely an underestimate [, ]. National surveys estimate the prevalence of disability among trainees to be between 5 and 12% with variations by specialty; however, these surveys often examine residents at only one training level or from a single specialty [–]. In a 2023 survey of interns (first-year residents) across 86 surgical and non-surgical residency programs at 64 US institutions, 11.8% of respondents self-reported disability []. Previous studies demonstrate that many trainees with disabilities do not request accommodations because of concerns regarding stigma or bias, as well as unclear institutional processes for requesting accommodations [, , , ]. Compared with residents without disabilities, residents with disabilities who have unmet access needs exhibit increased depressive symptoms and self-reported medical errors []. Physicians with disabilities may also experience disability-related mistreatment in the workplace which can lead to burnout and attrition [, , ]. Although disability policies exist at many GME institutions, review of these policies suggest that many lack key elements identified as best practices by the Association of American Medical Colleges []. These gaps may go unrecognized and adversely impact resident wellbeing and education, underscoring the need to better understand resident experiences and improve institutional support for residents with disabilities. This single-site study sought to explore disability experiences among residents at a single academic medical center to inform strategies for improving support systems for trainees with disabilities in accordance with best practices.