Paraplegic Med Student?

[Mycroft]

Hi All,

I am paraplegic due to a spinal cord tumor came out when I was one and half. Because of that damned tumor, I have always been interested in the human body and medicine. Now I am a upcoming junior and hesitating about whether I should apply for med school. I want to apply for the MD/PhD program and to be a research physician in the future. But I don't know if med schools are reluctant to accept a paraplegic student (I'm confident about my academical performance). Should I give it a shot at all? Do you guys have any paraplegic schoolmates in med school?? Thank you all!

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[gyngyn]

Hi All,

I am paraplegic due to a spinal cord tumor came out when I was one and half. Because of that damned tumor, I have always been interested in the human body and medicine. Now I am a upcoming junior and hesitating about whether I should apply for med school. I want to apply for the MD/PhD program and to be a research physician in the future. But I don't know if med schools are reluctant to accept a paraplegic student (I'm confident about my academical performance). Should I give it a shot at all? Do you guys have any paraplegic schoolmates in med school?? Thank you all!

Physicians, like pilots have both intellectual and physical requirements which must be met or reasonably accommodated in training . Go to the websites of the schools to which you are considering application and look for "essential characteristics" or technical requirements for admission.

 

[Nymphicus]

From University of Michigan

Technical Standards:

III. Motor:
It is required that a candidate possess the motor skills necessary to directly perform palpation, percussion,
auscultation and other diagnostic maneuvers, basic laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures. The
candidate must be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general and
emergency medical care such as airway management, placement of intravenous catheters,
cardiopulmonary resuscitation, application of pressure to control bleeding, suturing of wounds and the
performance of simple obstetrical maneuvers. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine
muscular movements, equilibrium and functional use of the senses of touch and vision

http://www.med.umich.edu/medstudents/policies/TechnicalStandards.pdf

Johns Hopkins University

TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR ADMISSIONApplicants to The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine are considered without regard to disability, but with expectation that they can complete satisfactorily all parts of the curriculum within the prescribed four year period. The School does not offer a decelerated curriculum. In addition to certain academic standards, candidates for the M.D. degree must have abilities and skills in observation, communication, motor function, quantification, abstraction, communication, motor function, relationships and behavior. Some disabilities in certain of these areas may be overcome technologically, but candidates for the medical degree must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner without the use of trained assistants. The candidates must have sufficient motor function to elicit information from patients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers. The candidate must be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care in emergency treatments to patients. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine motor muscular movement, equilibrium and functional use of the senses of touch and vision. Those desiring additional information should contact the Admissions Office.


http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/process/requirements.html
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Hope this helps.

 

[mlimient]

http://magazine.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?id=6&action=detail&ref=398

 

[Jamie561]

Are you able to manage doing bench research now?

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[Mycroft]

Thank you all, those info are helpful.

Yes, Jamie, I am able to do bench research. In fact, I am doing research in a lab right now.

 

[Jamie561]

Thank you all, those info are helpful.

Yes, Jamie, I am able to do bench research. In fact, I am doing research in a lab right now.

That's great. Even if you are unable to do MSTP, I don't see why you couldn't go for a PhD program if research is your thing.

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[AmicaVera]

One of our physicians at the hospital is paraplegic, and we apparently had another one who was a few years back. In PM&R, it tends to be more common. I know that the first was paralyzed in medical school, but I don't know about the other one. Contact the programs individually, and see what each program says. You may be surprised.

 

[Catalystik]

This thread will give you ideas of schools that will be good targets for you: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=529637