As a reminder, let's take a quick dive into the stigma that exists around disabilities in medical school.

And talk about why twitter can be such a dangerous place for applicants.

A #DisabledDocs Thread

Alt text for all following screenshots can be found by viewing the replies to this tweet. https://twitter.com/appyjumpindaze/status/1312804067077480448?s=20

Here we have a disabled premed student, one of many, who is anonymous on twitter to protect their identity. They post, in a space filled with support, about their experience.

We are asked constantly if we are "up to this."

Of course we are. With the right accommodations, and without the harassment that these same people perpetrate.

Accommodations are not exceptions. Accommodations are equity, and if you don't understand that, I don't know why you are speaking in this space.

This person is, in a way, right that accommodations are not a feature of medical training. While certainly not in the way they suggest, they definitely need to be considered more. DM me if you want some very good research papers on the subject or check out our NEJM forum.

In a DM to me, they said "this person is wearing it as a badge. that is not how to behave as an applicant."

This person has given indications that they are faculty at a medical school. This scares the **** out of me.

Without visibility, how will we ever achieve inclusion?

Retweet this if you're a #DisabledDocs #DocsWithDisabilities who succeeds in medicine.

Another DM: "And I still have a huge issue w someone who steps into an [interview] wearing a disabled tag if not a physical disability."

Open stigma. Open hatred. Open ableism. Open discrimination.

Let's reiterate. This man is a physician. He reached out to a vulnerable, disabled premed on here to tell them that they shouldn't go to medical school because they are disabled. When I reached out, with respect, to try to educate him, he started asking me invasive questions.

"I care cuz I'm an acute care guy. EM, CCM, anesth. These specialties don't accommodate ppl who can't perform."

Why is this the problem of the individual and not the problem of the specialty? Why are we so obsessed with defending inaccessible systems?

And why. WHY. For the love of GOD do I face so much resistance when I say things like "we need education around disabilities."

This man is spewing hate online. I'm sure he does so in real life, as well. He's indicated he works in admissions. That is horrifying.

So what can we do? Follow #DisabledDocs like @Okanlami @ChadRuffinMD @CheriBlauwetMD. Advocate for accessibility practices and education about disabilities in your schools. Demand accessibility everywhere you go, as I laid out in the thread below. https://twitter.com/traependergrast/status/1296129603430502400?s=20

In case I haven't made this clear yet....

You can't just NOT be this guy. This guy exists EVERYWHERE. You are either part of the solution or you are part of the problem.

If you're new to this, check out my moment below. I try to keep it relatively updated. If you go to advanced search and look for tweets by me with the word 'disability' you will get many more. https://twitter.com/i/events/1286022164668391425?s=20

To disabled applicants, students, and trainees reading this. Please no that these individuals are few and far between and that you have a literal army of people to fight for you. DM me or @ADACIMedicine to get involved. We need you. Medicine is an incredible career.

It's okay to have questions. We don't teach people how to think about disabilities.

"I can't have a blind radiologist, right?" These questions have answers. Post them or DM me to talk about them. But....there are answers. Evidence-based, moral, ethical answers. Without hate.

He repeatedly asked me what disability I had. I repeatedly told him it didn't matter because all disabilities are important. This just confirms that fake concerns about patient safety are smoke and mirrors. They don't give a damn whether it has anything to do with your tasks.

I went back and forth over whether to add this or not, but I think it's important.

Because I'm disabled, he doesn't understand what medical school accepted me.

I'm an MD-PhD student on full scholarship at Johns Hopkins, arguably one of the best in the country.

So please. Report me to my deans like you said you wanted to. Then we'll have your name and be able to tell your boss the kind of hate you're spewing online.

It's really easy to think that this is what ableism is. That if someone isn't saying this, they're ok. Let's talk about what I think this person acts like in real life. I'm sure you know him.

People like this give you funny answers when you bring up being tired. Like trump, they view weakness in very bizarre and personal ways.

As a boss, they're not accommodating. They value things like punctuality, being organized, and looking presentable.

They always take the stairs on rounds, making sure to go at a brisk pace. If you appear winded, even without any disabilities, they say things like "better hit the gym after your shift!"

When you bring up needing something, whether it's food for an allergy at a conference or a day off for a doctor's appointment, their response is always a little off. Something like "why can't you do that on your own time" or "well the brownie won't kill you, right?"

These people are everywhere. You might be these people. Because it's all a spectrum. Online, social norms too often disappear. He felt empowered by the power dynamic of attending vs. premed to say something I highly doubt he would say in person.

Are the offenses above the same as those I just described? Of course not.

But it all exists within the same sphere. We have to educate ourselves & educate each other. Ever heard of a microaggression?

They're not so micro.