SRS05 - The impact of dyslexia in medical education: a scoping review

Abstract Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty affecting 4–20% of the population, having a significant impact on these individuals’ experience of medical education and an avoidable impact on examination performance. This study explores the impact of dyslexia on students and junior doctors in training, as well as highlighting areas of potential solutions, where innovation may improve the experience of medical education for dyslexic trainees. Scoping review methodology was used to answer the research question. A thematic analysis was used to identify common threads within the literature. The study findings were then charted and collated to summarise and group the findings. The study found 30 articles published over a 32-year period, including both qualitative and quantitative data. The papers included both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education experiences. Thirteen themes emerged: discrimination, frustration, hesitancy to declare diagnosis, judgment, accusations of dishonesty, denial of reasonable adjustments, additional study required, feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression, lack of concentration, impact on examinations and positive attributes seen in doctors with dyslexia. This scoping review has revealed the impact of dyslexia on individuals in medical education, not only in terms of study and examination but also psychologically. Despite a surge in interest in the last 10 years within the UK and USA, more research is needed to define exactly the impact dyslexia has on medical students and trainees with view to potential innovative solutions. With minimal evidence identifying effective ways to mitigate the impact of dyslexia in surgical training, further research should focus on innovative strategies.