I feel I need to take a moment and share some personal experience I have had with another blind individual. Although it was not in a medical setting I feel there is some correlation. First, I would like to say that I initially had many of the same misconceptions and doubts regarding the abilities of visually impaired individuals. 1993-1996, I was pretty much a climbing bum; basically I traveled all over the US in my VW microbus and climbed mountains (please dont judge me; I am currently in a great medical school and doing very well as a nontraditional student)! Over my climbing years I earned a strong reputation in mountaineering circles based upon numerous first ascents and even gained sponsorship from a couple outdoor gear manufactures. Needless to say, I was at a phase in my life when I really had not developed the love I have now for medicine or school.
One summer I attended a wilderness EMT course in Colorado and was introduced to a blind rock climber named Erik Weihenmayer who asked if I would be interested in forming a team to help him become the first blind man to climb Mt McKinley. Mt McKinley or Denali is over 20,000ft high and near the Arctic Circle. His goal was to raise money for the nonprofit organization, The American Foundation for the Blind and hopefully demonstrate the abilities rather than the disabilities of people with handicaps. I had my doubts, would we be pulling him up in a sled, could he help pitch a tent, what if he lost a glove at 18,000 ft with a wind chill of -100? Despite the unanswered questions we did form a team and had several mid-winter practice climbs on Longs Peak in Colorado and Mt Rainer in Washington. WOW! is all I can say, I was shocked at the ability of Erik to compensate his other senses based upon the loss of one. We were stuck in the middle of a severe wind storm on one climb that was literally tossing us around like tumble weeds, all but Erik, his balance was way beyond the abilities of some very experienced climbers. Erik became a master at adaptation, he would tie his gloves and hat to his coat, he would sense the tension of the climbing rope from the climbers ahead and behind to help him visualize the terrain, and he could pick up the slightest audio clues about changes in the snow and ice. After practicing and practicing he could even set up a tent faster than any of us; my beliefs regarding Eriks abilities were wrong.
After 28 days on McKinley, Erik became the first blind man to reach the top of the highest peak in North America and our efforts raised over 100K $ for a good cause. By the way, I didnt even make it to the top. Did he do it alone? No it was a team effort in which he did what he could and the people involved were happy to help a proud man live out a dream. Because of the large media exposure of Eriks climb (NBC, CNN, and even David Letterman); many visually handicapped individuals began to look at their deficits differently. I traveled with him to a school for blind kids and witnessed first hand the joy and encouragement they received from meeting Erik; it was one of the most moving moments of my life. Erik went on to climb the tallest peak in South America, El Captain in Yosemite, and four years ago Mt Everest in Nepal (to name a few).
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101010618/story.html
Listen, I do not argue that the blind MD received some different treatment in order to earn his degree, of course he did. I do not argue that he will not be able to perform many of the procedures that most physician do, of course not. However, I am puzzled as to why when you look at the big picture, so many people seem apparently threatened by his accomplishment. Think of the message this blind physician has sent to literally thousands of handicapped people facing a society that constantly tells them you cant do that. Will the blind MD practice medicine like you and I, most likely not. However, I am sure he will find his niche in health care and will help many, many people in his career.
As a future physician I strongly feel we have an obligation to keep open minds and help people do the most with what they have. Basically, you can choose to be negative, to sit around and focus on how unfair things are, and make a list of all the blind MDs limitations, or you can choose to see the positive aspects of an outstanding accomplishment of someone with a handicap, that refused to listen to individuals like yourselves. I am sure that even though he is not in practice yet, his mere example has already helped a tremendous number of people. How many times during you efforts to get into medical school or to follow other dreams did you have people doubt you? Be honest, did you ever get a little discouraged? Multiply that by hundred to understand what people with disabilities face everyday. It is a sad fact of human nature that the people that are often the most critical of the achievements of others are usually the people who have never accomplished anything really great in their own lives (or at least tried). For those who are accomplishing great things, such as trying to earning an MD degree, does his achievement some how lessen what you are doing? I applaud the blind doctors incredible determination, desire, and character, as we say in climbing go big or go home. Medicine could use a few more like him. Sorry to write a book its just something I strongly believe in.
I think.
