Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine first-year medical students Raymond Tommasini, Richard Mullins, and Donovan Bahall, presented their research at the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) 24th Annual Educational Conference in Dallas, Texas, this month and were awarded first place for poster presentation and content related to intellectual and developmental disabilities curriculum education.
Titled “Assessing Elson S. Floyd Medical Student Preparedness for Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Care,” their project examined WSU College of Medicine student preparedness to care for patients with IDD, perceived barriers to training, and opportunities to strengthen IDD-focused education within the medical curriculum.
The team’s findings showed strong student support for additional IDD-related curriculum, especially through didactic teaching, simulated learning, clinical exposure, and communication-focused training. This recognition highlights student-led efforts at WSU College of Medicine to improve future physician preparedness and promote more inclusive, informed care for patients with IDD.