Operation House Call
Operation House Call provides disability awareness training to third-year Boston Medical Center medical students in pediatric rotation. Students participating in this program are required to attend a two-hour orientation by the Operation House Call Coordinator, and make a home visit to an individual with a developmental disability and their family members. The goal of this program is to provide future pediatricians with an understanding of the life issues individuals with disabilities and their families face each day. Medical as well as non-medical issues are discussed.
Every seven weeks, approximately 25 medical students begin their pediatric rotation at Boston University Medical Center. As part of their orientation, the Arc of Greater Boston Operation House Call Coordinator is invited to speak on disability issues with an emphasis on mental retardation. Operation House Call is staffed by an 8 hour per month Coordinator with programmatic supervision from the Director of Advocacy and Community Services. The coordinator presents a two-hour lecture, accompanied by personal stories and videos. Information packets developed in conjunction with medical staff are distributed to each student. Fact sheets included in this packet address issues ranging from people first language to internet sites.
A key component to this program’s success is the willingness of over thirty families who agree to host a student for a visit. Families act as educators providing the students with personal experiences which offer a more holistic view of a person with a disability. A primary responsibility of the Operation House Call coordinator is to recruit more families from the Arc of Greater Boston service area and to schedule visits at the convenience of families.
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