Saturday, September 20, 2025
Why I am sharing? It has been important for me to share my journey and lessons learned as a medical student with a disability because I know that I’m not alone on this journey. There are thousands of other individuals just like me who are suffering in silence. When individuals struggle alone they are more likely to do poorly academically, and suffer with their mental health.
Word of caution: This is my journey of disclosure in medicine. Disclosure is a very personal decision and everyone has the autonomy to choose whether or not to disclose. You do NOT need to do follow the same steps I took. Instead use my story to help you be informed on your decision.
If you would like to discuss more about your own unique experience, sign up for my personalized coaching here.
Click here to download my workbook:
First diagnosed with health conditions in Medical School
Introduced to Disabilities, Accessibility, and Accommodations AFTER failing STEP1 during LOA
Received accommodations and was able to pass STEP1 and return to medical school for my M3 Year
Decided whether to disclose my disabilities publicly
Breaking Barriers through vulnerability and disclosure
Throughout my life I have struggled to finding my voice because I had multiple marginalized identities (Latina, women, disabled). The intersectionality of various marginalized identities leads to an even greater stigma to overcome.
“Among physicians with disabilities, 16 (9.2% ) identified as members of a racial or ethnic group underrepresented in medicine”
I felt very alone during my medical school journey struggling with failing Step1 (twice), taking an LOA, and dealing with multiple health conditions. I didn't know others similarly were struggling until I voiced my own journey and realized the significant impact it has on others.
The AAMC survey of 2021 7.6% of graduating medical students self disclosed they had a disability
I learned there is power of my voice as a medical student and advocate. Through disclosure I grew into my identity and story by accepting it as it is.
My Steps of Public Disclosure:
Started small with virtual medical school class (during COVID) --> Received Very Positive Feedback
Shared with the rest of my cohort class over Group me & Facebook --> Received Very Positive Feedback
Made new friends with disabilities
Created a public social media account @medpsycmoss --> Received Very Positive Feedback
Created a website with resources as I acquired them
Started Publishing Op-Eds --> Received Very Positive FeedbackKevin MDDoximityThe Endometriosis Foundation BlogMedPageToday
Found many support groups and communities of individuals with similar health conditions and lived experiences
Pros and Cons of disclosure
Deeper connections with other co-workers, colleagues, supervisors
Motivate others to be vulnerable
Help others feel more accepted for their marginalized identity
Possible Trauma through Disclosure
Not everyone will be accepting of it
Not accepted for who I am beyond my disability
Not receiving appropriate accommodations or accessibility
Negative Views There is a concern of not wanting their teammates to think of them as weak or lazy, which are very negative qualities and medicine. We’ve been working so hard all through premedical and medical school years to be at the top our class, and to not show any weaknesses. However, we are just learners and there is always going to be someone who has more time to study a specific topic and knows that topic better than you. This feeds into imposter syndrome, especially for individuals who suffer from marginalized identities, which includes individuals with disabilities or health conditions in medicine.
There is a lot of double standards in medicine, we recognize that all humans can experience health conditions and we want to help others. However, we are unwilling to see ourselves and our medical colleagues as suffering from health conditions. This feeds into the bias of physicians are different and at a higher hierarchy than a person who has a health condition (like a patient).
We do not allow ourselves the risk to suffer the social stigma of disclosure. If we don't take then risk, then we feed into the stigma that we aren’t fully capable or intelligent enough.
Individuals in Medicine frequently have to hide their disability from their colleagues.
A sample of 6000 physicians in the US found that only 3% of doctors self reported having a disability
“The disability category most commonly reported was chronic health conditions (54 [30.1%]; 95% CI, 23.3%-36.9%), followed by mobility (51 [28.4%]; 95% CI, 21.7%-35.1%), psychological "
Download my Workbook which includes worksheets on Disability Disclosure
Getting a Feel for Disability Acceptance from a Residency Program
How not to disclose but still gain information about the program’s policies
Private emails, texts, calls
Podcast Episode 81 of Docs With Disabilities for some more ideas
Deciding Whether to Disclose in Residency Applications
As a future doctor, I’ve put in a lot of thought on whether to disclose my health conditions or not in my upcoming job as a resident physician. Some of the initial concerns are is a stigma that if doctors have health conditions then they’re not able to be at work and are taking time to go to medical appointments or do their medicine or just to take care of themselves which puts a burden on the rest of the team which includes other resident physicians.
Including my published writings in my Residency applications was actually the most difficult decision I had to make because of the significant bias in medicine it had an increased chance of hurting my applications.
Did online research and found little on disability disclosure
Asked Program Directors, mentors, attendings, and former residents
Every specialty in medicine is different and some are more excepting of seeing physicians residents as humans, but definitely not all of them. As a third year medical student, you could definitely get a feel for this by talking to the resident about whether or not they’ve ever taken a sick day. Sometimes residence said that they couldn’t because it wouldn’t be fair for their teammates because they would have to cover their shift, which, they already are over burdened and overworked so it’s almost impossible to now add in additional patience they have to take care of to cover for their teammate.
What is the purpose of my disclosure?
Is this to help me or them feel better?
What is the most important thing for them to know?
Am I ACKNOWLEDGING or EXPLAINING myself?
Will this harm our professional relationship in any way?
Am I asking them for something?
What specifically am I asking them for (Accommodations/support)?
I will speak more on focussed disclosure in regards to disclosing to a patient in a future blog post and Podcast Episode
Laws Regarding Disabilities:
Disability rights are both civil and human rights.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination across multiple aspects of their daily lives.
"Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) makes it unlawful for an employer or educational establishment to discriminate against a qualified applicant, student, or employee with a disability. The ADA applies to private employers with 15 or more employees and to state and local government employers."
The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person who:
(1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity,
(2) has a record or history of a substantially limiting impairment, or
(3) is regarded or perceived by an employer as having a substantially limiting impairment.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the employment provisions of the ADA and has a list of all the laws it enforces here.
Ways to disclose in Application
"Lived experience” For my application I decided to not include my disability in my personal statement and just stated I have lived experiences that allow me to empathize with my patients. I made this decision to show that I was more than my health conditions, and I am capable and as successful as any other future physician.
Positive Consequence: Improved empathy and patient interaction on how to connect with themDemonstrated personal values of authenticity, honesty, and vulnerability
Impact on Future: asset, strength
Just one aspect of identity
Publications and Presentations on disability, accessibility, or disclosure
Partly Disclosed in Applications
Included reason for taking a Leave of Absence as a "health struggle"
Personal statement - just said "lived experiences"
I decided to include my published writing in my CV then talked about my health conditions and disabilities in other boxes of the application (Extension of School and Unique Experiences).
Occasionally disclosed during Interviews depending on "vibe" and if I felt that it would fit the conversation/question
Check out my Residency Application Guide for Medical Students
For more information on my Residency application visit this blog post or see video below:
Most recently —> Created a Podcast "Life as a Patient-Doctor" to publicly disclose and share my journey
Pre-decide if you are going to disclose and how
Practice with a mentor in the field
Let conversation flow naturally
How do you handle it if someone asks you about your disability and you don’t want to disclose it?Say: "I am not comfortable speaking on that personal information"
Take notes on how the residents, attending, and PD made you "feel" - Gut check!
Check out my guide on Residency Applications and Interviewing
Community - current staff/students/colleagues
Supervisor or Program Director
Human Resources Department
How Interviewee can bring up disabilities/accessibility:
How have you supported residents with disabilities or health conditions?
What resources have you provided for residents who have more academic needs?
I am trying something new, I have decided to disclose I have a disability.
Is there an appropriate person who I can talk to regarding extra needs I may require during residency?
How does your program support residents as individuals?
How does the program react to the unexpected - sickness, leave of absence, failure of step3?
How does the program accommodate if a resident has a sick child/parent?
What do you do if residents' needs change during residency?
Does the program have disability insurance?
How Employer Can Discuss:
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner (EEOC) Created a Facts Sheet that had the following information:
"The ADA prohibits employers from asking questions that are likely to reveal the existence of a disability before making a job offer (i.e., the pre-offer period). This prohibition covers written questionnaires and inquiries made during interviews, as well as medical examinations. However, such questions and medical examinations are permitted after extending a job offer but before the individual begins work (i.e., the post-offer period)."
They can have a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Statement and Presentation for everyone interviewing
Examples of questions that an employer CAN NOT ask on an application or during an interview (pre-offer period)?
Do you have a disability which would interfere with your ability to perform the job?
Do you _____ health condition?
How many days were you sick last year?
Have you ever filed for workers' compensation? Have you ever been injured on the job?
Have you ever been treated for a mental health condition?
What medications are you currently taking?
May the employer ask me the above questions AFTER making a job offer?
"Yes. An employer can ask all of the questions listed [above], and others that are likely to reveal the existence of a disability, after it extends you a job offer as long as it asks the same questions of other applicants offered the same type of job“ (EEOC). An employer cannot ask such questions only of those who have obvious disabilities.
“An employer may require a medical examination after making a job offer as long as it requires the same medical examination of other applicants offered the same type of job" (EEOC). While the employer has the right to require a post-offer medical examination, they cannot withdraw the job offer solely because an interviewee revealed they have a disability.
Questions to explore as each institution is different:
How much from the employment physical is disclosed to the program?
Is it just a check box or is information shared with program, and if so under what circumstances?
Can an offer of acceptance be withdrawn after the physical?
Pain, anxiety, sleep, and ADHD medications might be flagged
They will call you stating something was found
Might require you to submit a letter from your doctor saying it is prescribed to you
During the hiring process, if gave the employer medical information, do they keep this information confidential?
"Yes. The ADA contains strict confidentiality requirements. Medical information revealed during the hiring process (pre- or post-offer) must be kept confidential, with certain exceptions (supervisors and managers)" (EEOC).
“The confidentiality requirements protect both information voluntarily revealed as well as information revealed in response to an employer's written or oral questions or during a medical examination." (EEOC).
Who determines what components of a job are essential functions?
“Instead, the employer can withdraw the job offer only if it can show that you are unable to perform the essential functions of the job (with or without reasonable accommodation), or that you pose a significant risk of causing substantial harm to yourself or others" (EEOC).
Check out this article by Accessibility.com: "Essential functions are job duties that employees must have the ability to perform, with or without a reasonable accommodation."
Disability Advocate Dr. Jarrell Stated in regards to this: "Oftentimes, schools or programs will have technical standards that say you need to be able to stand for a certain period of time or lift something of a certain weight. In my mind, there is a big disconnect between those requirements and meeting an essential function of a job with or without accommodation. If a wheelchair is used, then the standing requirement may not be valid. This article says that employers need to list what they deem to be the essential functions and I believe this would apply to residency programs as well."
ADA national network- https://adata.org
Job accommodation Network https://askjan.org
A to Z of Disabilities & Accommodations: https://askjan.org/a-to-z.cfm
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) www.eeoc.gov/
EQUAL ACCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: The Guide for Health Science and Professional Education
Disability as Diversity A Guidebook for Inclusion in Medicine, Nursing, and the Health Professions
Job Accommodation Network
Diversity Strengthens RUSH! https://www.rush.edu/about-us/diversity-equity-and-inclusion
MedPsycMoss Disabilities Resource Collections
My Residency Application Guide
My Podcast: "Life as a Patient-Doctor"
Click here to download my workbook, my personal statements, and sign up for individual advising!
I blog about living as a patient and a medical doctor.
Check out my Workbook, Residency App, & advising Here
Sign up for monthly email newsletter to find out when new posts & resources are added!