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Categories of Disability in Medical Education: Understanding Documentation and Accommodations

  • Jun 25, 2025
  • 1 min read

Originally played on June 25, 2025


Description: This Access in Medicine video explores the main categories of disability commonly disclosed in medical education. Designed for Disability Resource Professionals, faculty, and institutional leaders, the video demonstrates:


  • Common disability categories seen in health professions education

  • Types of documentation students may provide to support accommodation requests Examples of accommodations frequently used to promote equitable access


The content is adapted from Chapter 2, Disability Law and the Process for Determining Whether a Student Has a Disability, in the book Equal Access for Students with Disabilities: The Guide for Health Science and Professional Education. This book is available as a free digital download at docswithdisabilities.org.


We are deeply grateful to the chapter authors, Elisa Laird and Dr. Gregory Moorehead, for allowing us to share their important work in this training module.


This project was made possible through a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR Grant #90RTHF0005).


📌 Citation: Langham, E, Broskowski, E, Masood, M, Hawks, S, Weigley, J. Categories of Disability. Access in Medicine Workgroup (AIM). (n.d.). www.docswithdisabilities.org/aim



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