Disabilities

If you have a disability (as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act) you may be qualified to study medicine with the use of reasonable accommodation.  Be sure to familiarize yourself with:

  1. the AAMC Medical Students with Disabilities: A Generation of Practice guide (2005), and
  2. the specific academic and technical standards at the schools in which you are interested, available on schools' websites.

 

Another interesting publication is Medical Students with Disabilities: Resources to Enhance Accessibility (2010), which speaks to the current state of resources, assistive techologies, etc. available to medical schools as they enroll a growing number of  students with a wide range of disabilities.

If you have a disability or medical condition that you believe requires an adjustment to the standard testing conditions, apply for MCAT accommodations.  Be sure to start this process early to allow time to receive a response (usually within  60 days of receipt of all documentation) plus additional time for possible appeals should your initial request be denied.