Join us January 15, 2026, 8pm Eastern

Featured Speakers: Lauren Clarke, MD, MA, MHA, Christine Santiago, MD, MPH, Sarah Verity, BS, Cassy Christianson, MA, OTR/L, Sydney Walls, MPH, Sunil K Joshi, MD, PhD

Join us for a Virtual Grand Rounds presentation offering an inside look at how the Stanford Internal Medicine Residency Program, in collaboration with AbilityPath, designed and implemented a new curriculum to strengthen resident training in the care of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We will explore the motivation behind the initiative, the practical steps involved in developing the program, and key components of the curriculum itself.

The presentation will also share resident feedback and evaluation results and highlight the value of a strong community–academic partnership in shaping meaningful educational experiences. We’ll conclude with lessons learned and next steps, including ongoing dissemination efforts.

Dr. Lauren Clarke, MD, MA, MHA is a preliminary medicine intern at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and she will continue her training in PM&R at Northwestern/Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. She is a recent graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine, where she completed a joint MD/MA in Education program and created disability-focused curricula at both the UME and GME levels. She hopes to work towards improving physician competency in caring for patients with disabilities through improving the accessibility and quality of disability-focused clinical training. She has a particular interest in ensuring individuals with intellectual disabilities are included within disability-focused curricula. She previously graduated with her BS and MHA from the University of Southern California, where she was a fellow in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Christine Santiago, MD, MPH, is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Stanford Division of Hospital Medicine dedicated to advancing health equity and improving access to care. She graduated cum laude from Harvard Medical School, earned an MPH in Health Policy and Management from UC Berkeley, and completed her internal medicine residency and chief residency at Stanford University. Dr. Santiago has been a leader in developing innovative curricula and community partnerships, including co-founding and serving as faculty director of the Stanford Health Equity, Advocacy, and Research Program and co-founding the Hospital Medicine Health Equity Committee. She has also pioneered experiential learning opportunities for residents through programs such as the Street Medicine, LGBTQ+ Clinical, and Re-entry Medicine rotations. Widely recognized for her mentorship, scholarship, and leadership, Dr. Santiago’s research and quality improvement work reflect a sustained commitment to building a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system. Sarah Verity (Vice President, Board Relations and Legislative Affairs) is a dedicated leader in board governance, legislative affairs, and advocacy, with over 17 years of service at AbilityPath. She collaborates directly with the CEO and Board of Directors to enhance their effectiveness and fulfill AbilityPath’s mission. Known for her knowledge of the DDS and Regional Center system and AbilityPath’s programs, her role has expanded over the years to include overseeing board relations and key advocacy and legislative initiatives. Sarah serves on the board of the California Disability Services Association (“CDSA”). She is a member of The Alliance Supporting People with IDD, promoting collaboration to influence legislation and secure funding for individuals with developmental disabilities. She is also Co-Chair of the Coalition for Dementia Care Services for Adults with IDD. Cassy Christianson is a developmental specialist and consultant for families of children with developmental disabilities and learning differences. An experienced therapist, group facilitator, and writer, Cassy works in private practice in Palo Alto where she also serves on the Boards of Abilitypath and Stanford Medicine's Community Council. Sydney Walls is a Research Coordinator at the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics. She received her BA in Anthropology from Stanford University and her Master's in Public Health from the University of Kansas Medical Center. Her research interests are centered around public health and intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) as she is a sibling to her autistic brother who has high support needs. She is currently a committee member on the Disability Section for the American Public Health Association and is a council member for The Arc's National Sibling Council. Prior to working at SCBE, she worked for the Association of University Centers on Disability as both a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Trainee and as a research staff member for the Kansas LEND Program. She worked on projects that improved medical education on IDD for medical students and family medicine residents, innovated mental health care for autistic teens, and developed a state recognized certification program on developmental disabilities. Dr. Sunil Joshi, MD, PhD is a hematology-oncology fellow at Stanford who is interested in advocating for marginalized communities through clinical service, scientific research, and education.

Every THIRD Tuesday* of the month the AADMD Student & Resident Committee hosts interdisciplinary webinars for clinicians to learn from colleagues in a patient-centered manner with the purpose of encouraging comprehensive care provision to patients with IDD.

*Day of the week is subject to change.