Really? The points they have raised are very valid and reasonable. They have a far better understanding of med school and residency than any of us premeds do, so I don't understand the hostility they've been subjected to when all they were trying to do was paint a more realistic picture.
Congrats to the OP and best of luck with the clinical years and residency.
Part of my job for the last several years has been to represent people with disabilities (and people subject to discrimination) in my workplace. I have enough understanding of the subject of disability and reasonable adjustments to know I am not an expert (and that there are people who are experts who can recognise and find solutions for a very wide spectrum of issues relating to disability - remarkable strides have been made on this in the last few years, aided by modern technology). But I know enough to work out that there should be nothing stopping the OP from becoming a doctor.
The concerns raised relate to procedures. But if you break down what is involved in any medical procedure, then it will be something like -
1) The description of the physical procedure,
2) What it does (provides information/the effect it has on the patient),
3) When it is appropriate to use the physical procedure,
4) What it should and should not be used in combination with, in all the different circumstances in which it might be used,
5) What the possible outcomes are, and what follows on from each of those outcomes,
6) Deciding, on the basis of this knowledge and on knowledge of the particular patient, that the procedure should be performed on this patient at this time,
7) Performing the procedure.
On 1 to 6, the OP is in exactly the same position as any able bodied person. That means that, with the same education and training afforded to an able bodied person, he will be able to determine what procedures should be performed and when, just as any other doctor. That is at least 95% of what is needed from a doctor in any medical situation, and 100% of it in most, where others (nurses, PAs, techs, etc) will be actually performing the procedure.
On 7, the OP gave a pretty detailed description of his abilities. He has full use of his arms, and use of his hands which includes a powerful grip, a good pinch and some finger movement. It seems to me that with those abilities he would be able to do a lot of procedures on the same basis as any other person. There may be some procedures where additional techniques, equipment or learning time (to find a way of performing the procedure which fits with his physical abilities) will be a reasonable adjustment.
There may be some situations where the OP would need to direct another person to perform the procedure. For instance, in the example given of chest compressions in the ICU, it may be possible for the OP to do it. But if not, how often is any resident going to be in an ICU on their own with a patient who needs chest compressions, and no-one else, such as a nurse or tech, is around to do it or within calling distance? That doesn't sound to me like a particularly safely run ICU, whatever the physical status of the resident.
I have been disappointed, reading through this thread, at some of the attitudes displayed towards the OP's abiility to recognise and deal with his disability in the context of a medical education, training and practice. I think he dealt with those attitudes with remarkable grace and patience.
