Abstract
This study presents descriptive data on 86 medical students and physicians, referred for testing to determine the presence and type of learning problems. The major results indicate that most subjects had either a learning disability or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Twenty-one subjects had a reading learning disability (LD); 21 subjects had a potential visual/spatial learning problem; 10 subjects had ADHD; 15 subjects had both a reading disability and ADHD; and 19 subjects had no detectable problem. Subtest analysis or WAIS-R scores indicated that sequential information processing may be the major difficulty for this sample.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Accardo, P., Haake, C., and Whitman, B. 1989. The learning disabled medical student.Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 10,5:253–58.
Association of American Medical Colleges 1991. National Admission Action Summary Reports. Washington, DC: Association of American Medical Colleges.
American Psychiatric Association 1987.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edition). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Bannatyne, A. 1971.Language Reading and Learning Disabilities. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas.
Brown, J.I. 1976.Examiner’s Manual for the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. Chicago: Riverside Publishing Co.
Bruck, M. 1987. The adult outcomes of children with learning disabilities.Annals of Dyslexia 37:252–63.
Crank, J.N. 1985. Crucial learning and instructional skills for skill-deficient college students. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. MF01/PC01.
Decker, S. 1989. Cognitive processing rates among disabled and normal reading adults: a nine year follow-up study.Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal 2:123–34.
Gerber, P., Schneiders, C., Paradise, L., and Reiff, H. 1990. Persisting problems of adults with learning disabilities: Self-reported comparison from their school-age and adult years.Journal of Learning Disabilities 23,9:570–73.
Guyer, B.P. 1988. Dyslexic doctors: A resource in need of discovery.Southern Medical Journal 81:1151–54.
Guyer, B.P., and Sabatino, D. 1989. The effectiveness of a multisensory alphabetic phonetic approach with college students who are learning disabled.Journal of Learning Disabilities 23:430–34.
Guyer, B.P., Banks, S.R., and Guyer, K.E. 1993. Spelling improvement for college students who are dyslexic.Annals of Dyslexia 43:186–93.
Hallowell, E.M., and Ratey, J.J. 1994.Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood. New York: Pantheon.
Henderson, C. 1992.College Freshmen with Disabilities: A Statistical Profile. Washington, DC: American Council of Education.
Hughes, C.A., and Smith, J.O. 1990. Cognitive and academic performance of college students with learning disabilities: A synthesis of the literature.Learning Disability Quarterly 13:66–79.
Jastak, S., and Wilkinson, G.S. 1984.Administrative Manual for the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised. Wilmington DE: Jastak Associates Inc.
Jones, R.F., and Thomae-Forgues, M. 1984. Validity of the MCAT in predicting performance in the first two years of medical school.Journal of Medical Education 59:455–64.
Kaufman, A.S. 1979.Intelligent Testing with the WISC-R. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
Kelly, P.R. 1993. Personal communication August 1993. Philadelphia: Psychometrics and Testing Services, National Board of Medical Examiners.
Mangrum, C.T., and Strichart, S.S. 1984.College and the Learning Disabled Student. New York: Grune and Stratton.
Miles, T.R. 1986. On the persistence of dyslexic difficulties into adulthood. InDyslexia: Its Neuropsychology and Treatment, eds. G.T. Pavlidis and D.F. Fisher. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
O’Hearn, C. 1989. Recognizing the learning disabled college writer.College English 51, 3:294–304.
Sattler, J. 1992.Assessment of Children (3rd ed.). San Diego: J. Sattler Publishing Inc.
SAS Institute 1989.Statistical Analysis System Statistical Guide. Cary, North Carolina: SAS Institute.
Silver, L. 1993.Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. New York: William Morrow and Company.
Smith, C. 1994.Learning Disabilities: The Interaction of Learner, Task, and Setting (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Sprinthall, R.C. 1987.Basic Statistical Analysis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Vancouver, J.B., Reinhart, M.A., Solomon, D.J., and Haff, J.J. 1990. Testing for validity and bias in the use of GPA and the MCAT in the selection of medical school students.Academic Medicine 65, 11:694–97.
Wechsler, D. 1981.Manual for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. New York: Psychological Corporation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Banks, S.R., Guyer, B.P. & Guyer, K.E. A study of medical students and physicians referred for learning disabilities. Annals of Dyslexia 45, 233–245 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02648220
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02648220