According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the law recognizes the capabilities of disabled persons and forbids any form of discrimination, which may occur when the disabled are denied access to the particular field of study due to their handicap or disability. Of course, the applicant must first meet the basic qualifications to be granted an admissions slot after going through the process, along with other applicants. In response to this, however, the Association of American Medical Colleges and essays there (AAMC), in 1993, came out with guidelines saying that students must have “intellectual, physical and emotional capabilities necessary to undertake the required curriculum in a reasonable independent manner, without having to rely on intermediaries, and that all students must be able to achieve the levels of competence required by the faculty.” Based on these, it can be said that the main concern in accepting disabled students to med school comes from their questioned ability to function as physicians, which can be affected by their disability. Another concern is the resources and personnel needed to assist with the training. Some, however, think that the AAMC guidelines are quite high and that the admissions criteria should go past the stereotypes and consider what people with disabilities can actually contribute to the profession.

Successful med students with disabilities

Years ago, doors to medical school admission are almost closed for people with disabilities. There were instances when the applicant would even talk to the admissions directors, submit all the application requirements, and even secure letters of recommendation from previous professors. But to no avail, most would come home deprived of their chance to pursue a degree in their chosen field. Fortunately, nowadays, people with disabilities are now given better opportunities to enter into med school.

Even the differently-abled deserves an equal chance to pursue higher education in the medical sciences field, and one good proof that even with a handicap a determined student can accomplish just as much is Timothy Cordes. Being a blind man didn’t stop Cordes from pursuing his dreams as he later became the University of Notre Dame’s class valedictorian and M.D. and Ph.D. degree holder in biomolecular chemistry at the University of Wisconsin. He is now a resident physician in a pscyhiatry department. There are other stories like Tim’s, and like him, they proved that their handicap is not an obstacle to their accomplishments.