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Learning Differences and Medical Education

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Remediation in Medical Education

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Abstract

Current research in the neurosciences suggests that cognitive development varies widely among even the most academically successful learners and that individual learning capacities can be considered in terms of profiles of strengths and challenges. We describe a neurodevelopmental framework for learning (NDFL) that provides context and meaning for struggling trainees’ experiences, delineating strengths, and pinpointing the specific challenges undermining performance. With this shared understanding, it is possible to tailor strategies to each student’s profile. However, for a significant minority of struggling students, their challenges, most commonly learning and attention disorders, reach the level of a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While most such disorders are diagnosed in childhood, some individuals seek assessment for the first time in adulthood when a formal diagnosis is required to provide reasonable accommodations. We suggest that both faculty and trainees benefit from coming to a shared understanding of the impact of variations in neurodevelopmental profiles on professional learning. Exploring these variations through the NDFL lens can help learners reframe their challenges, rebuild their self-confidence, and implement strategies to prevent or ameliorate academic failure.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Antoinette Schoenthaler

  2. Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Antoinette Schoenthaler

  3. Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Paul Yellin

  4. Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education, New York, NY, USA

    Paul Yellin

Authors
  1. Antoinette Schoenthaler
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  2. Paul Yellin
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Correspondence to Paul Yellin .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Institute for the Transformation of Medical Education, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Adina Kalet

  2. Veterans Affairs Health Care System, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Calvin L. Chou

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Schoenthaler, A., Yellin, P. (2023). Learning Differences and Medical Education. In: Kalet, A., Chou, C.L. (eds) Remediation in Medical Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32404-8_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32404-8_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-32403-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-32404-8

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