Panko, Tiffany L. and Elizabeth Ayers (2025-2029). Building an Inclusive Healthcare Workforce: Mentor Supported Shadowing Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students. Grant proposal submitted to Healthcare Workforce, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation. ≠
An increase in the number of DHH individuals in healthcare careers would not only employ DHH individuals in growing sectors of the economy but also help to ensure that healthcare systems better serve DHH individuals, for whom there are chronic health disparities compared to the general population. RIT/NTID’s Deaf Health Care and Biomedical Science Hub (Deaf Hub) established the Mentor Supported Shadowing Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students (MSSP), a program designed to support DHH undergraduate students aspiring to enter health training programs after graduating from RIT. MSSP alleviates missed opportunities and supports DHH students with mentoring and networking opportunities by providing MSSP trainees with a robust four-year curriculum with local and away shadowing assignments with hearing and DHH professionals, professional development sessions, networking (local and away conferences), service hours and research opportunities.