At Saitama Medical University, experience training for first-year medical students was conducted for the purpose of communicating with people who live in an institution and have severe motor and intellectual disabilities. However, due to the spread of COVID-19, training at this institution has been suspended completely, which has led us to conduct the training remotely. In the remote training sessions, people with disabilities who only had nonverbal communication tools joined a Zoom meeting where they were able to communicate with students from inside the institution. In the past, there have been other times when training was suspended due to infectious disease outbreaks. Despite this, remote training has made it possible to carry out training without being affected by the environment. Compared to conventional training, remote training did not allow students to experience the atmosphere of the institution or interaction with the people on-site. However, it did have other advantages in that it enabled students to understand the disabilities at a deep level, making them realize the importance of nonverbal communication, and increasing their motivation to learn.

The University of Tokyo Disability Services Office and the University of Tokyo Hospital have striven to advance the inclusion of individuals with disabilities and to encourage the co-production of research as well as mental health services with peer support workers. In convergence with these endeavors, the Center for Diversity in Medical Education and Research (CDMER) was founded in 2021. The Center aims to establish an environment and culture that facilitates the participation and success of medical professionals with disabilities. For this purpose, it is essential to integrate the perspective of the social model of disability into medical education and promote co-production in the medical field, which is among the most challenging areas that can realize co-production. The Center is involved in various educational and research activities, including managing educational programs for medical students and supporting student-led research.