applicants with terminal illnesses applying to med. school?

[docjolly]

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Hi Everyone,

I had posted my thread in the "Everyone" forum, but I'm not sure how to change it to another forum...Anyhow, here it goes:

Late last night, I watched a very interesting episode of ER (which I think originally aired last Oct.). In this episode, a med. school student with Parkinson's Disease (wonderfully portrayed by Don Cheadle) began working at County General Hospital under Dr. Corday's supervision. The disease had obviously progressed quite badly b/c he couldn't place a needle into a bag of saline solution without bursting it...or stand still without violently shaking with convulsions...It was a rather sad episode...

Anyhow, I was just wondering if any of you know anyone with a terminal disease who has applied or is applying to med. school. If so, how are they handling the dual role of being both a physician and a patient?? Even if you don't know anyone like this, I would appreciate your thoughts...

🙂

 

[TRUE]

I think that would be awfully difficult to do, but I would have to respect anyone who tried. I know that that Mt. Sinai specifically asks you if you are "medically able" to handle the rigors of medical school and being a physician. I'm not sure all that might pertain to, but I would think that there are definately certain diseases that could prevent you from accomlishing your duties as a med student.

 

[JohnHolmes]

Each medical school has a series of "technical standards" that are required for matriculation. To the extent of my knowledge, if you cannot execute each of the technical standards, they can deny you admission.

As horrible as it is, the ADA doesn't protect people with disabilities in this situation. As far as the law goes, you have to be able to execute the standards of the job with reasonable modification (loading ramps, eye glasses, etc) to avoid discrimination. The Supreme Court has recently been scaling back the scope of the ADA.

As far as those with terminal implications of current disease: fight the system. Isn't cardiovascular disease terminal?

::shrugs::

Coops

 

[bessybug]

Originally posted by Cooper_Wriston
Each medical school has a series of "technical standards" that are required for matriculation. To the extent of my knowledge, if you cannot execute each of the technical standards, they can deny you admission.

As horrible as it is, the ADA doesn't protect people with disabilities in this situation. As far as the law goes, you have to be able to execute the standards of the job with reasonable modification (loading ramps, eye glasses, etc) to avoid discrimination. The Supreme Court has recently been scaling back the scope of the ADA.

As far as those with terminal implications of current disease: fight the system. Isn't cardiovascular disease terminal?

::shrugs::

Coops

Why is that horrible? The ADA is way over the line in many cases. Almost every job has technical requirements. If you can't meet them with reasonable accomodation, then that position shouldn't be available to you. Obvious examples include a parkinson's patient applying for a surgical residency, a one-armed police officer, a wheelchair bound paramedic, or an opera singer with TB.

 

[beep]

i don't have a terminal illness but i do have a significant physical disability. whether or not i meet the technical standards (which pretty much all med schools have) is probably a matter of how one interprets them--i have never seen a set that weren't very general. certainly i will need accommodations in med school and, also certainly, i have the ability to do the work of a doctor in several different specialties.

i feel a strong sense of vocation about becoming a physician. i know this is the right path for me, that i will like it, and that i will be good at it. i am 100% convinced that my extensive experiences as a patient have imparted both an ability to empathize and also concrete knowledge that will enable me to serve my patients well.

i think it would depend a lot on what the terminal illness of an applicant was (and how you define "terminal illness"), and on a lot of specifics about her or his life and personality. it's hard to imagine, though, that taking on a 7+ year project would be the best choice for most people in that situation.

beep

 

[beep]

Originally posted by bessybug
Why is that horrible? The ADA is way over the line in many cases. Almost every job has technical requirements. If you can't meet them with reasonable accomodation, then that position shouldn't be available to you. Obvious examples include a parkinson's patient applying for a surgical residency, a one-armed police officer, a wheelchair bound paramedic, or an opera singer with TB.

i think the ada is quite moderate and fair. (though it has been unfortunately weakened by the supreme court lately...) the term "reasonable accommodation" in fact has entered our everyday discourse because it is the legal term laid out in detail in the ada. reasonableness is part of the idea.

the ada specifically does not cover job applicants and employees who can't perform the functions of the job in question. of your examples, clearly the first and third would not be covered by the ada (because their disabilities would keep them from doing the essential functions of the job). a police officer in a wheelchair could have an office job, or a liason job, or a training job, or whatever else she or he could do with reasonable accommodations. as for the opera singer... treatment would be the thing, obviously. but if they were unable to sing they wouldn't be covered. the point is, though, that you have to look specifically at the abilities of the person and the requirements of the job. ...and also that the ada would under no circumstances require anyone to hire a blind bus driver.

 

[oudoc08]

i think the ada is quite moderate and fair. (though it has been unfortunately weakened by the supreme court lately...) the term "reasonable accommodation" in fact has entered our everyday discourse because it is the legal term laid out in detail in the ada. reasonableness is part of the idea.

the ada specifically does not cover job applicants and employees who can't perform the functions of the job in question. of your examples, clearly the first and third would not be covered by the ada (because their disabilities would keep them from doing the essential functions of the job). a police officer in a wheelchair could have an office job, or a liason job, or a training job, or whatever else she or he could do with reasonable accommodations. as for the opera singer... treatment would be the thing, obviously. but if they were unable to sing they wouldn't be covered. the point is, though, that you have to look specifically at the abilities of the person and the requirements of the job. ...and also that the ada would under no circumstances require anyone to hire a blind bus driver.

Actually, I believe the limitation on the opera singer wouldn't be for his or her singing ability, but for the airborne transmission potential of TB by someone who is wailing like a banshee with a broomstick in their arse and spraying that crap all over the opera hall.