Engagement of undergraduate medical students of paediatrics in special schools for children with disabilities.

AIMS Over 200 000 Australian children suffer significant disability. How should medical students be prepared for this challenge? Community engagement has become fundamental to education, but there is little experience with engagement of undergraduates with children with disabilities. This paper reviews such experience in Western Sydney. METHODS Since 2011, UWS paediatric students have been rotated through local special schools for 2 weeks each term. In 2013, feedback was solicited in a questionnaire from the 129 students involved that year with 109 being returned. It had been solicited from school staff and parents in formal and informal communication from the beginning. RESULTS Fourteen per cent of students reported no prior exposure to disabled children: 55% only chance, 24% regular and 7% extensive. Thirty-seven per cent reported greatly increased understanding: 39% moderately, 15% somewhat, 7% a little and 2% not. Forty-three per cent declared understanding of impact on family greatly increased: 40% moderately, 11% somewhat, 5% a little and 1% not. Twenty-seven per cent declared greatly increased knowledge of services, 43% moderately, 25% somewhat, 4% a little and 1% none. Fifteen per cent declared greatly increased preparation for caring, 44% moderately, 30% somewhat, 6% a little and 5% none. Thirty-six per cent declared greatly increased understanding of role of schools, 30% moderately, 20% somewhat, 10% a little, and 2% none and 2% cannot recall. School staff and parents reported very favourably. Problems involved professionalism in students and some fatigue in parents. CONCLUSION The engagement has been successful. Professionalism has been emphasised, and rotations have been designed to prevent fatigue.