ADCET Webinar: Barriers Before Entry - Improving Pre-Admission Guidance for University Applicants with Disability

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ADCET was delighted to welcome Laura Gray and Bryony McNeill, from Deakin University, as they shared the details of their study as well as identified practical opportunities for educators to create clearer, safer, and more inclusive pre-admission communication.

Despite widespread calls for greater inclusion of people with disability in the healthcare workforce, significant barriers remain. These barriers exist even before admission to training, when applicants are considering study options and future careers.

In the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) context, guidelines for inclusive pre-admission practices have been developed by the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand, MDANZ, but the extent to which these are enacted is unclear. This study aimed to explore the extent to which Australian and NZ schools have adopted these guidelines and communicates to prospective applicants in a way that explicitly recognises disability as a valued dimension of diversity.

An audit and content analysis of all Australian and NZ public facing medical school websites was conducted. Domains examined included the use of Inherent Requirements and/or MDANZ Guidelines for Inclusive Medical Education, and how these documents framed program requirements from organic or functional perspectives. They also explored the accessibility of relevant information and the transparency of pre-admission discussions. More broadly, they examined patterns of language use around disability, identifying where schools framed disability as a deficit versus using positive and strengths-based language.

While many examples of good practice and inclusive language were found, many schools could improve the clarity and framing of the information provided to applicants. Many schools framed disability as a deficit or avoided explicit reference to disability. Clear information regarding procedures for confidential discussion of applicant circumstances and access to accommodations prior to admission was often absent, potentially leaving applicants uncertain about the impact of disability disclosure. Only half of the schools referenced the MDANZ Guidelines. Those that used Inherent Requirements often employed organic framing which did not acknowledge the role of accommodations.

Establishing the state of current practice illuminates opportunities to make medical programs more inclusive from the early stages of the student lifecycle. These findings illustrate the potential gap between policy and practice. Here, the practical importance of reviewing pre-admissions communication through a disability-inclusive lens is identified.

Presenters

Laura Gray is the Director of the Drapac Centre for Equity in Health Professions Education and an Associate Professor with the School of Medicine, Deakin University.  She leads programs of research, evaluation, strategy and policy design and implementation, with a focus on equity and inclusion. With extensive experience in higher education leadership, she is committed to advancing equitable access to higher education and programmes to enable all students to thrive.

Bryony McNeill is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Physiology and Deputy Course Director (Foundations of Medicine) of the Deakin University Doctor of Medicine program. In this role, she is committed to improving access to medical study and fostering inclusive, accessible learning environments. Her medical education research uses a co‑design approach with students and focuses on understanding the experiences of neurodivergent medical and health students, particularly within clinical learning contexts.

(February 2026)

ADCET is hosted by the University of Tasmania