Hennessy, Laura R, Shaw, Sebastian C K and Anderson, John L (2020) Medical students’ attitudes towards and beliefs about dyslexia: a single-centre survey study. International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies, 7 (4). a8 69-79. ISSN 2409-1294

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Abstract

Dyslexia impacts upon reading and writing, but not upon intelligence. Little research has explored dyslexia in medicine. An online questionnaire was emailed to all medical students within a single medical school, inviting them to participate. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics. Statistical significance was calculated for any differences between gender, age group, or year-group cohorts. 123 individuals responded. Most reported a good understanding of dyslexia, and feelings that their peers with it should be supported. However, a minority reported feelings of jealously, and dissatisfaction – feeling that students with dyslexia should not be supported, as this gives them an unfair advantage. In some, this seemed to stem from a belief that dyslexia were not real, or that their peers were “faking it”.
“I think it is a poor excuse for students to be favoured advantageously and receive tremendous benefits. It is certainly not a medical problem.”

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	dyslexia, medical education, medical students, specific learning difficulties, survey
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Brighton and Sussex Medical School
SWORD Depositor:	Mx Elements Account
Depositing User:	Mx Elements Account
Date Deposited:	11 Jan 2021 08:57
Last Modified:	11 Jan 2021 09:00
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/96416

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