<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I was recently diagnosed with a rare kidney hormone deficiency. I was forced to take a medical withdrawal during my 3rd semester, and luckily I will be able to go back!! with special diet accommodations and I will be able to receive disability services (extra time on tests etc.). This life-changing experience has inspired me to pursue a medical degree and I will give it my best shot! </p>
<p>My question to you guys is: how accommodating are medical schools for students with a disability? Anyone know a med/pre-med student with a disability? My mental ability has not been affected at all, but my condition does cause fatigue/dizziness on a rare occasion. I also need full access to water and restrooms. But for the most part I am fine. If any of you met me, you would not be able to notice anything wrong with me.</p>
<p>Thanks for any feedback!</p>
<p>I am not sure if medical schools ar required [legally] to provide any accommodations to students with disabilities. Perhaps some else can speak to that issue. </p>
<p>I do know that it’s difficult to get accommodations for the MCAT and almost impossible to get accommodations for the USMLE exams. </p>
<p>One of thing that all med school adcomms consider is whether an applicant is physically able to withstand the rigors of a medical education and a medical career. (And I do of one individual who was otherwise an excellent candidate who was repeatedly rejected due to concerns about her ability to physically complete the clinical portion of medical training.) The onus will be on you to convince them you can manage it just fine. </p>
<p>Medical training is often exhausting, the hours are long and according to D1 you will spend significant periods (think 4+ hours straight, occasionally much longer) standing on your feet without the opportunity to eat, drink or use the restroom. If that could be an issue for you, talk with your physician and see what s/he thinks.</p>
<p>In D1’s class of 106 students only one has any type of accommodation (a quiet room to take exams, but not extended exam time). I think there’s one student who wears an insulin pump, but he receives no accommodations.</p>
<p>thank you for the reply! I think I have a more accurate picture what they demand, and it sounds like I can’t go in assuming “it’s gonna be fine” because they’ll accommodate me! Thanks again:)</p>
<p>Medical schools will be as accommodating as they can be without interfering with the things you need to know and need to know how to do. I feel that your testing environment will be worked out (though I don’t know about the MCAT and the USMLE since those aren’t med-school administered), but I’d worry a little more about your clinical years. You can’t do a surgery clerkship without being in the OR, and you can’t do an IM or peds clerkship without being on rounds. All of those things can involve standing for hours at a time (you can have water and such with you on rounds, but not in the OR for obvious reasons).</p>
<p>Medical schools are able to accommodate many things, but I think you also have to be able to tell them (if not us) exactly what accommodations you need. And be specific. Then medical schools can tell you if they can do that.</p>
<p>In the OR or some other intense area, would I be able to quickly leave the room every hour for a couple gulps? Or must you stay for the whole procedure for sanitary reasons?</p>
<p>Probably not. You have to scrub in/out every time and every time you open the door to the OR you risk contamination. My guess is eventually you’d get told to stay out but I haven’t done surgery yet so I don’t know.</p>
<p>^^Pretty much what D1’s surgery praeceptor told her – if you leave, don’t bother coming back in.</p>
<p>Really? well that’s not good:/ …thanks for the input tho!</p>