Paws for thought: advocating for the disabled population through service dog education in medical school

Service dogs are essential companions for approximately 500,000 disabled individuals in the United States. They provide daily assistance with a diverse range of impairments by performing trained tasks. Despite the studied benefits of owning a service dog, physicians often lack knowledge and education regarding their utility. This widespread ignorance among healthcare providers has left many disabled individuals unaware of the life-changing support service dogs can provide, exacerbating existing healthcare disparities for the disabled community. Integrating service dog education into medical curricula is crucial to enhancing care for disabled patients. By equipping future physicians with this knowledge, the medical community can better advocate for and support disabled patients, ensuring they receive comprehensive and informed care.