Although increasing the healthcare workforce serving those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) remains critical, we know little about how current healthcare workers began serving this population. Surveying 153 U.S.-based healthcare professionals who work with persons with IDD, this study examined the presence, influence, and nature of their disability-related experiences. The most common and influential experiences involved pre- and post-professional disability training. Less frequent, albeit influential, experiences included being a sibling or having other family members with disabilities and working at disability-related camps. First encounters with persons with IDD occurred during the child and adolescent (i.e., preprofessional) years for 38% of respondents, with slightly lower percentages occurring earlier (34%, involving family) or later (28%, during pre- or post-professional training). Those with family or child–adolescent first encounters more often also reported disability experiences in subsequent periods. Respondents spoke of the formative effects of hands-on disability training as well as of family and child–adolescent experiences, although some disability-related careers also featured an element of chance. Practical and policy implications are discussed.
CITATION STYLE
McCann, H. P., Smith, S. E., Urbano, R. C., Dykens, E. M., & Hodapp, R. M. (2023). How I got here: Career influences on healthcare professionals who work with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(3), 249–259. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.12459
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