MDisability summer internship, now in its fifth year, educates three new summer interns
Students Suhas Kellampalli, Blessed Mbogo and Ariana Nigoghosian interact with family medicine departmental faculty; learn healthcare accommodations for people with disabilities; and complete in-depth research projects.
Brianna Marzolf, DO, Advances her Research and Clinical Training as the First Disability Health Fellow with MDisability
The fellowship, offered through the Family Medicine-sponsored program, will bolster Marzolf’s practice in caring for patients with disabilities while working to expand greater care access.
Hearing Loss in Patients Does Not Affect Hospitalization Readmission Rates, According to Family Medicine Research
While the study found no differences in readmissions between patients with and without hearing loss, substantial communication challenges persist.
Assistant Professor Tyler G. James Selected as a 2023 Davenport Fellow by the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation
The fellowship entails conference attendance, where James will interact with CHARGE syndrome advisors, other fellows, and children with CHARGE and their families
Former MDisability Interns Reflect on how their Internship Experiences Influenced their Future as Health Researchers and Doctors
The innovative program instills confidence, fosters professional networks, and fuels medical students’ enthusiasm for helping individuals with disabilities.
MDisability Team Welcomes Three New Summer Interns
The unique training program educates undergrad, as well as rising and current medical students, to work as future disability health researchers and advocates.
Research Fellow Tyler G. James Receives Writing Award from the Foundation for the Advancement of Health Education
He and his co-authors argue for a more philosophically-grounded skill set to understand and address health inequities and social determinants of health.
Family medicine team secures $50k award to reduce drug interactions for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities
With funding from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, Dr. Michael McKee and Dr. Steve Erickson aim to reduce medication-related problems among adult patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Michigan Medicine researchers can now more easily track health outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing patients
Updated DataDirect database allows users to select patient population data based on language, which includes information on patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those who use ASL or CART services.
Local mother of two sons with autism finds assistance among Family Medicine and MDisability medical faculty
Associate Professor and MDisability Director Mike McKee, Associate Professor Lauren Oshman and medical colleagues answer the call for special clinical care for individuals with disabilities.
New research finds that Black and Hispanic people with disabilities receive less preventive care, even when they are privately insured
Associate Professor Elham Mahmoudi of Family Medicine and colleagues from across the University of Michigan have published their results in the Annals of Family Medicine
Family Med researchers present their work at annual Disability Research Symposium
Topics covered included gaps in mandated accessibility resources for deaf patients; increasing rates of burnout in U.S. medical students; and training physicians with disabilities.
MDisability summer internship completes another successful year, educates three new interns
Students Dana Chung, Sydney Kessler, and Sanjana Ratakonda learn about conducting disability health research; interact with family medicine departmental faculty; and work on special projects aimed at providing resources for people with disabilities.
Postpartum women who are deaf or hard of hearing experience greater numbers of hospital readmissions up to one year post-delivery
Leading postpartum health challenges were distinct compared to other postpartum women
Family Medicine paper finds many U.S. mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities do not provide communication access to Deaf and Hard of Hearing patients
Post-doctoral research fellow Tyler G. James is lead author on the paper, published in a special edition of Health Affairs focusing on disability and health.
Faculty Members Michael McKee and Michelle Meade to co-lead newly funded initiative to advance health outcomes for people with disabilities from marginalized communities
Funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) will support Family Medicine researchers, who will contribute significant efforts to the initiative.
Research Fellow Tyler James receives ‘high scorer’ designation on the Master Certified Health Education Specialist Exam
New skill set will allow James to take on more leadership and service responsibilities in health care while keeping his research focused on individual and community health.
The story behind the data: Health economist Elham Mahmoudi translates her passion for numbers into research with implications for population health
Her work focuses on improving efficiency, quality and health outcomes through data that focuses on the intersection of aging, disability and disparity.
Study finds USMLE’s denial of accommodations requests by students with disabilities negatively impacts medical schools
Accommodation denials lead to school staff and student frustration, as well as loss of time and financial resources
U-M Family Medicine Department Chair Philip Zazove reflects on his long career as a family physician with hearing loss and his advocacy for those with disabilities
Michigan Medicine is establishing a disability health endowment in honor of Dr. Zazove, who retires in July, to promote and support all disability health efforts within the Department of Family Medicine and U-M’s health system
Disability Health Medical School Elective
Ethan Sperry, an M.D./Ph.D. fellow at the University of Michigan Medical School, participated in the January 2022 Disability Health Elective, which is a two-week elective course designed for third- and fourth-year medical students.
MDisability monthly meetings grow into a virtual network opportunity for disability health providers, researchers, and medical students.
Since MDisability was established in 2019, a virtual community has been created that draws disability health experts from around the country to speak, many of whom have become regular attendees. The meetings provide networking opportunities that allow attendees to share, learn and work with like-minded and disability-focused learners
MDisability welcomes three new students to its annual Summer Internship program
Students will learn how to conduct disability health research and how to care for those with disabilities, among other subjects
MDisability Launches Webinar Series
Family Medicine Chair Philip Zazove receives an Honorable Mention for his research paper from The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Department leader receives the honor for his publication, "Effective Hearing Loss Screening in Primary Care: The Early Auditory Referral-Primary Care Study".
MDisability launches inaugural American Sign Language course for first-year University of Michigan medical students
A second course will begin in March.
Former MDisability intern describes her experience creating ASL course
Kate Panzer, a second-year student with the University of Michigan Medical School, writes about how she collaborated with members of the Department of Family Medicine, MDisability and others to create the first-ever American Sign Language course for first-year medical students.
Family Medicine Research Fellow publishes study on experiences of Deaf patients in emergency department settings
Paper contributes important insights into common challenges experienced by Deaf or hard of hearing ASL users with video remote interpreting and on-site ASL interpreters
Family Medicine, PM&R researchers to study technology use in people with SCI at greater risk of type 2 diabetes
New two-year, $200,000 award from the Neilsen Foundation will help researchers evaluate the use of two different continuous glucose monitoring devices by people with spinal cord injury.
Dr. Lisa Meeks, colleagues present five strategies to Liaison Committee on Medical Education to promote inclusion, support of medical students with disabilities
Authors request committee to define disability as diversity; mandate disability support; and protect students' privacy, among other actions.
Two Department of Family Medicine Faculty Members Recognized for Outstanding Contributions to University
Drs. Caroline Richardson and Michael McKee join 30 winners university-wide who have received honors for their work in teaching, mentoring, service and scholarship.
Assistant Professor Oluwaferanmi Okanlami awarded $200,000 Neilsen Foundation grant to launch Prescription to Play
Prescription to Play (RX to Play) will connect people living with spinal cord injuries in southeast Michigan to local adaptive sports resources and provide ongoing rehabilitation support.
Champions of the West
University of Michigan Wheelchair Tennis Athletes Chris Kelley, Caiden Baxter and Matt Fritzie find championship-level success at the 2021 Cincinnati Wheelchair Tennis Open in mid-August.
Family Medicine’s MDisability wraps up another successful summer internship program
Three more students learn about conducting research related to those with disabilities and engage in community and educational disability projects, among other activities.
U-M Adaptive Track and Field Star Brings Home the Gold from Tokyo
Sam Grewe, an incoming medical student, brings home the gold at the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
U-M Adaptive Tennis Takes on the Music City Classic
Four U-M athletes traveled to Nashville to compete in the Music City Classic Tournament. Caiden Baxter, Matt Fritzie, Spencer Heslop, and Chris Kelley competed in multiple events and proudly represented the University of Michigan.
U-M Adaptive Sports & Fitness made their debut at the USTA Collegiate Wheelchair Tennis National Championships in Orlando, Fla.
The event was a culmination in U-M’s inaugural wheelchair tennis season and the team made an impressive showing.Seeded fourth,the team secured a second place win.
U-M Department of Family Medicine’s MDisability Program hosts three new interns this summer
Students will learn about developing basic research skills, community engagement and participating in disability health projects.
U-M Competes in the Desert Challenge
University of Michigan Adaptive Sports & Fitness athletes reflect on their experience at this national competition.
Adults with hearing loss more likely to have unmet medical needs and delayed care
A U-M Family Medicine research team published the results of their analysis in the journal Seminars in Hearing.
Tennis Match in Alabama
As sports slowly restart during a pandemic, one U-M adaptive tennis player travels for his first competition in a year.
National Poll on Hearing Loss Screenings Among Older Adults
Drs. Philip Zazove and Michael McKee led the latest iteration of the National Poll on Healthy Aging, which finds most adults over 50 have not been screened or tested for hearing loss in past two years.
MDisability Internship Program Open for Summer 2021 Applicants
Effective hearing loss screening in primary care: Results from the EAR-PC Study
An EHR alert that prompted a one-question hearing loss screener question significantly increased audiologist referrals among older adults, according to a new study published in the Annals of Family Medicine
Saul B. Lederer Adaptive Tennis Head Coach Award Established
The Adaptive Sports and Fitness program , led by Dr. Okanlami, is proud to mark this notable milestone in its mission to create equitable opportunities for student-athletes with physical disabilities to compete in intercollegiate-athletics.
Michigan medical student learns about disability health and medicine with inaugural elective course
New Disability Health Elective teaches third and fourth-year medical students about best clinical practices in disability health, as well as disability theory, law, and culture, and the implications for disability policy in healthcare.
Leaders of MDisability Program honored with Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award
Drs. Mike McKee, Lisa Meeks and Oluwaferanmi Okanlami are honored for their commitment to diversity by the Office of the Provost at the University of Michigan.
Building a Pipeline for Disability Leadership in Medicine: Our 2020 MDisability Interns
Four students—Michael Casden, Sam Grewe, Kaila Helm, and Zoie Sheets—recently completed an nine-week intensive internship in disability health and medicine with the MDisability Program.
A New Tool to Measure the Impact of COVID-19 on the Lives of People With Disabilities
A team of U-M disability researchers have developed a survey that will help others quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of people with disabilities.
MDisability introduces new two-week Disability Health Elective for third- and fourth-year medical students
Medical students will learn about best practices for communication and caring for patients with disabilities and provide meaningful experiences through rotations among clinics specializing in disability-based care for specific populations.
An Eight-Week Adaptive Exercise Video Series From MDisability
Staying Fit While Staying Put is a free repository of adaptive fitness and exercise videos curated by MDisability faculty, staff, and interns.
Caring for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Patients During COVID-19: A New Paper and Facebook Live Discussion
U-M Family Medicine faculty discuss how health care institutions can maintain accessible care for our deaf and hard of hearing patients while maintaining COVID-19 safety measures, in a new piece published in the JAMA Otolaryngology .
Services for Students with Disabilities Names Interim Director, Dr. Okanlami
This partnership between Michigan Medicine and Student Life will enhance awareness of university DEI and disability initiatives
New Book on Disability as Diversity led by Meeks and Family Medicine Faculty
Edited by Lisa Meeks, Disability as Diversity is a first-of-its-kind title designed to help deans, program directors, faculty and student affairs personnel thoughtfully plan for the growing population of health care professionals with disabilities.
MDisability welcomes four disability health interns for summer 2020
Meet the 2020 cohort of MDisability Program summer interns. They are current undergraduates, rising medical students, and recent graduates interested in disability research and advocacy in medicine.
Clear Face Mask Drive For Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Organized By Family Medicine Staff
In a span of a month, research assistant Kate Panzer led efforts to make and distribute nearly 500 clear face masks for Deaf and hard of hearing people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monthly Podcast Shares The Stories of #DocsWithDisabilities
The Docs With Disabilities podcast has produced 17 episodes, highlighting the experiences of physicians and health care professionals with disabilities. The latest episode features a conversation between host Lisa Meeks and first-year resident Justin Bullock, MD, MPH
Coronavirus explained in American Sign Language
Deaf family physician Michael M. McKee explains COVID-19 to the sign language channel DPAN.TV
A Unique Clinic Founded by Deaf Individuals, For Deaf Individuals
The only primary care clinic in Michigan that is specifically designed for deaf and hard of hearing patients is located in the Dexter Health Clinic
Masco Corporation Continues to Support U-M Adaptive Sports
A second gift from the organization’s Masco Million Differences campaign supports the work of Dr. Okanlami.
New study finds deaf and hard of hearing women more likely to have pregnancy complications
Women who are deaf and hard of hearing have more pregnancy complications and worse outcomes than those without hearing impairment, a study indicates.
MDisability seeks candidates for 2020 summer internship program
More medical students are disclosing their disabilities, and schools are responding, study finds
Increased disability diversity and accommodation among future physicians could improve patient care, researchers say.
Family Medicine's Dr. Okanlami thrives on ABC's GMA 'Thriver Thursday'
Good Morning America's Robin Roberts features the work of the department's MDisability team and the recovery of Dr. Okanlami, drawing enormous recognition online
Masco grant funds two U-M adaptive tennis players
The recent grant launches U-M's Adaptive Scholar Athlete Program.
New Funding: The impact of hearing loss on hospital readmissions
Funding from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation will enable further research on the connection between untreated hearing loss and rehospitalization
New Research: Hearing aids linked to lower risk of dementia, depression and falls
Using Medicare HMO claims data , Mahmoudi and her team tracked 115,000 older adults with hearing loss for three years post diagnosis, finding an association between use of hearing aids and reduced risk of physical and mental decline in older adults.
#DocsWithDisabilities podcast addresses issues, experiences of doctors with disabilities
The initial podcast features an interview with Dr. Nichole Taylor , Assistant Dean of Student Affairs with the Wake Forest School of Medicine. She is living with multiple sclerosis and addresses that and the experience of interacting with her students.
Meet the 2019 MDisability Summer Interns
Meet the inaugural cohort of MDisability Program summer interns. They are current undergraduates and recent graduates interested in disability research and advocacy in medicine.
New study: Early hearing loss may mean higher risk of drug and alcohol issues
Dr. McKee led a national study showing a link between early hearing loss and prescription opioid use disorder.
New Paper: Rethinking technical standards for the future of doctors with disabilities
Philip Zazove joined a team of experts that convened to reassess U.S. medical school technical standards. Their findings are published in Academic Medicine.
McKee speaks to Reuters on the the invisible cost of hearing loss
Access in Med Ed: Identifying barriers to subspecialities for deaf and hard of hearing medical students
A new paper, from Lisa M. Meeks Ph.D., M.A., clinical lecturer, provides one of the first case studies of how deaf and hard of hearing medical students navigate rotations in subspecialties.
U-M Family Medicine lead discussions during National Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month ( NDEAM ). Marking this month, several U-M Family Medicine faculty members will be leading online and in-person discussions on disability access in the health sciences and medical professions.
A New Basketball Team on Campus
Players walked and rolled in to join Dr. Okanlami on the court and in his mission to bring adaptive sports to U-M.
New Publication: A new review of research on the health of adults with hearing loss
What is the current state of research on adults with hearing loss? A new paper in the Disability and Health Journal provides a review and outlines current and potential strategies to address key issues.
New Funding: Family medicine faculty will lead research and clinical pilot program to address aging with long-term disabilities
A $4.3 million grant will help establish a Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at the U-M and Michigan Medicine. Disability researchers Michael McKee and Elham Mahmoudi will establish new research and a model clinic in this large-scale effort.
Clinical Spotlight: Deaf Health Clinic
Based at the Dexter Health Center, the Deaf Health Clinic provided targeted primary care services to Deaf patients across Michigan. Led by Michael M. McKee and Philip Zazove, the Deaf Health Clinic is proud to serve the unique needs of the Deaf community.
Faculty awarded honor from the Association for Higher Education and Disability
Disability access leader Lisa Meeks was recognized for her significant impact on inclusion and access for people with disabilities.
Response to Forbes Article about “Disability Accommodation on Campus: Some Unintended Consequences”
Faculty and staff from U-M and across the nation respond to the article featured in Forbes.
New Research: Cost, Coverage and More Drive Hearing Aid Inequality
A national study, led by Michael M McKee, finds major variations in hearing aids use by race, income and education – but VA insurance coverage levels the playing field. Even those able to pay out of pocket may not do so, due to stigma, vanity and mistrust.
Disability Research Interest Group Holds Pre-Conference at Academy Health 2018
Disability health researchers Michael McKee, Elham Mahmoudi, and Philip Zazove will present at the national convening of the Disability Research Interest Group and at the Academy Health Annual Research Meeting, held in Seattle Washington later this month.
Family Medicine Faculty and U-M Partners Pen a Response to the Wall Street Journal
The letter, written collaboratively with support from Lisa Meeks, Ph.D. and Philip Zazove, M.D., provides a public response to the WSJ article, “Colleges Bend the Rules for More Students, Give Them Extra Help,” published Friday, May 25, 2018.
New National Report on Access for Doctors with Disabilities, Co-Authored by Family Medicine Faculty
Lisa Meeks, PhD, clinical lecturer interviewed over 40 physicians, medical students, and administrators for the report, which outlines best practices for diversity and inclusion of medical students with disabilities
New Research: Hearing Aids Linked to Fewer Hospital and ER Visits by Older Adults
New cost effectiveness analysis in JAMA Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery is the 'first study to show an association between hearing aid use and how older people use the health care system,' according to lead author Elham Mahmoudi.
New Research: Offsetting Hearing Loss’ Long-Term Consequences with Early Diagnoses
Hearing loss affects about 17 percent of Americans, but screening and referral for evaluation is rarely done. How an electronic intervention, developed by Philip Zazove, M.D., and Michael McKee, M.D., M.P.H., may help.
Learners and physicians with disabilities are at home at Michigan: A statement on disability inclusion in medical education
Written by Lisa Meeks, Ph.D., clinical lecturer, with Philip Zazove, M.D., chair, and contributions from across the University of Michigan Medical School
Governor Snyder Appoints Dr. McKee to Advisory Council
He will join the Advisory Council on Deaf, DeafBlind and Heard of Hearing.
Reducing barriers to medical school admission for students with disabilities
In a new article, published in The American Medical Association (AMA) Journal of Ethics , Dr. McKee explains how updates to medical school admissions policies could address the underrepresentation of people with disabilities in the medical profession.
Women with Hearing Loss More Likely to Have Preterm or Low Birth Weight Babies
A new study co-authored by Michael M. McKee, M.D., M.S.W. , assistant professor, is the first population-based study of birth outcomes among U.S. women with hearing loss.
University of Michigan, Rochester Institute of Technology to Partner in $3 Million Grant to Improve Health Care Information Dissemination to People who are Deaf
Led by two of the nation’s leading Deaf scientists, the grant aims to reduce health disparity among the nation’s Deaf population.
