To compare the efficacy of in-person versus virtual interactive noon conferences on resident physicians’ comfort levels in caring for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Many neurologists feel uncomfortable treating adults with IDD, partly due to a lack of training. Prior findings suggest that having more experience with people with IDD is associated with more comfort in caring for this population. Comfort Theory explains that increasing meaningful interactions between dissimilar groups increases comfort levels between them. 

Interactive noon conference sessions were conducted annually with seven adult and pediatric residency programs for three academic years between September 2019 and March 2022. During the conference, artists with IDD shared their work with residents and engaged in conversations following a brief lecture about IDD. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sessions after March 2020 were virtual with pre-recorded interviews with an artist with IDD. Residents completed surveys before and after each session. Participants rated their comfort level in interacting with and treating people with IDD using a 6-point Likert scale. Results were analyzed with longitudinal regression models for in-person and virtual participants. 

68 unique in-person participants and 89 unique virtual participants completed pre- and post-session surveys. In the in-person versus virtual group, mean comfort levels interacting with people with IDD increased from 3.7 to 4.4 (95% CI 0.34-0.96, p<.0001) versus from 4.0 to 4.4 (0.15-0.57, p<.0001) and mean comfort levels treating people with IDD increased from 3.7 to 4.2 (0.14-0.77, p < .0001) versus from 3.9 to 4.2 (0.06-0.5, p<.0001). There was no significant difference between the two groups (difference 0.17; -0.56-0.21, p = 0.38). 

Neurology resident participation in interactive noon conferences with people with IDD increased resident comfort caring for this population. Our findings suggest that virtual sessions also improved physician comfort, offering a valid alternative when in-person sessions are not possible.