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Fall 2026 Newsletter

6 hours ago
10 min read

Alt Text: "Fall 2026 Newsletter" with fall foliage, a pumpkin, and red, orange, and yellow leaves
Alt Text: "Fall 2026 Newsletter" with fall foliage, a pumpkin, and red, orange, and yellow leaves

A Note from DWDI Co-Directors


Dear DWDI Community,


As we enter the fall, we find ourselves reflecting on just how much has changed, and how much has become possible, because of this community.


What began as an effort to make the experiences of disabled physicians and trainees visible has grown into something much larger: a community of learners, clinicians, educators, researchers, mentors, and advocates working together to change the systems in which we learn, train, and practice medicine.


This year has brought extraordinary growth. DWDI was recognized as part of the 2026 Forbes Accessibility 200, an acknowledgment that belongs to our entire community and reflects years of collective work to advance disability inclusion in medicine. Our educational programs continue to reach thousands of participants, our scholarship continues to expand the evidence base for disability inclusion, and our partnerships are helping translate that evidence into meaningful institutional change.


We have also watched several long-term efforts move from ideas into infrastructure.

The ACGME-DWDI Disability Resource Hub is creating a centralized national resource for residency programs and graduate medical education.


PACE™ is bringing institutions together to strengthen clinical accommodation decision-making through evidence, shared learning, and practical tools. And our expanding collaborations across medicine and the health professions are creating new opportunities to bring disability inclusion into places where these conversations have historically been absent.


At the same time, the heart of DWDI remains community.


This summer, we launched the Disclosure podcast series, continued expanding our educational resources and video library, and opened another year of the Women with Disabilities in Medicine Mentorship Program. Across all of these efforts, we continue to see what happens when disabled people are positioned as scholars, educators, mentors, clinicians, and leaders shaping its future.


There is still considerable work ahead. Disabled learners and clinicians continue to encounter barriers to disclosure, accommodations, belonging, and advancement. Awareness alone will not dismantle those barriers. The next phase of this work requires us to build durable systems, generate better evidence, develop practical resources, and hold institutions accountable for translating commitments to inclusion into everyday practice.


As DWDI continues to grow, we remain grounded in the principles that brought this community together: supporting one another, growing knowledge, sharing what we learn, and using that knowledge to change systems.


Thank you to everyone who has shared a story, participated in research, mentored a colleague, attended a program, challenged an assumption, partnered with us, or simply reminded another disabled person in medicine that they belong here.


We are proud of what this community has built. More importantly, we are excited about what we are building together next.


With appreciation,

Lisa M. Meeks, PhD, MA Co-Director, Docs With Disabilities Initiative

Justin Bullock, MD Co-Director, Docs With Disabilities Initiative



🎉 Exciting News 🎉


PACE™ Is Underway: First DRP Cohort Meeting


PACE™: Precision Accommodations in Clinical Education officially began its work this fall, with the first Disability Resource Professional (DRP) cohort meeting taking place in September. The cohort brings together DRPs from 21 participating institutions.

PACE is also actively developing educational content to support disability accommodation work in medical education. Three new videos are now available on the Docs With Disabilities Initiative YouTube channel:



Upcoming Events - Register NOW!


Upcoming Webinars: Clinical Accommodations in Nursing Education


Join us this October for a free two part webinar series exploring clinical accommodations in nursing education. The series follows the accommodation process from determining reasonable accommodations to implementing, communicating, and monitoring accommodations in clinical environments. Real time captioning will be provided for both sessions.


🩺 Part I: Determining Accommodations

📅 October 1, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM ET


How do nursing programs determine reasonable accommodations in clinical education while considering curricular requirements, professional standards, and patient safety? Part I brings together leaders in nursing education and disability resources to examine the process of determining reasonable clinical accommodations, address common misconceptions, and discuss approaches to informed, individualized, and equitable decision making.


📝 Register for Part I: Determining Accommodations


🩺 Part II: Implementation, Dissemination & Monitoring Effectiveness


📅 October 29, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM ET

Once an accommodation has been approved, how can programs support effective implementation? Part II focuses on best practices for communicating, implementing, and monitoring clinical accommodations, including effective workflows, communication pathways, and strategies for evaluating whether accommodations are working as intended.



🎥 Can't attend live?


Both sessions will be recorded and made available on the Docs With Disabilities Initiative YouTube channel within two weeks of each event.


The series is presented in partnership by the Docs With Disabilities Initiative Access in Nursing Program, American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness, and PACE University.



Audacity and Constraint: Daring to Dream Crip Futures in Medical Education


📅 October 21, 2026

⏰ 12:00 p.m. CT


The Department of Medical Education is pleased to welcome Neera Jain, PhD, the Inaugural Visiting Scholar in Disability Inclusion for the DREAM Center, as the featured speaker for this month’s DME Research Seminar.


Dr. Jain is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Medical and Health Science Education at the University of Auckland. Her seminar will challenge us to think boldly about disability, possibility, and the futures we imagine and create within medical education.


Online: Virtual participation available



Join us in welcoming Dr. Jain to UIC and the DREAM Center for a timely conversation about daring to dream crip futures in medical education.


Upcoming Conferences


Call for Proposals: 8th Annual Stanford Conference on Disability in Healthcare and Medicine


The Stanford Medicine Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Equity (SMADIE) is accepting proposals for the 8th Annual Stanford Conference on Disability in Healthcare and Medicine, an international conference focused on disability in healthcare and medicine. Healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, students, and advocates are invited to submit proposals highlighting research, best practices, and innovative approaches.


Preference will be given to research oriented presentations that emphasize intersectional identities, innovative best practices, and inter-professional collaboration within disability in healthcare and medicine.


📅 Proposal deadline: September 30, 2026 at 12:00 PM PT


Register for the 6th Annual DAC Med National Virtual Conference


The Disability Advocacy Coalition in Medicine (DAC Med) will host its 6th Annual National Virtual Conference on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10:00 AM–3:30 PM CT. This year's theme, When Lived Experience Leads: Advancing Inclusivity for People with Disabilities in Healthcare, will bring together participants for speaker sessions, patient panels, research presentations, and more.

DAC Med is a trainee led organization dedicated to mitigating ableism in healthcare through education, support, programming, research, networking, and outreach. The conference is virtual and free to attend, and participants may attend the full conference or individual portions of the program.


📅 Registration deadline: Thursday, October 1, 2026

📝 Register for the conference: DAC Med Conference Registration



In Case you Missed It: Recording Now Available!


Bridging the Gap: Competencies for Disability Resource Professionals in Medical Education


Originally presented on August 12, 2026, this webinar introduces a national, consensus based competency framework for Disability Resource Professionals (DRPs) in medical education. Led by Erin Broskowski, MA; Matthew Sullivan, PhD; and Lisa M. Meeks, PhD, MA, the session examines the evolving role of DRPs and the variability in training, infrastructure, and expectations across institutions. Presenters introduce the framework’s eight core competencies and 110 attributes and discuss their application across clinical training, assessment, and high stakes examination contexts. The session also considers how the framework can support more consistent DRP practice and inform future training, curricula, and professional development.




Docs With Disabilities Podcast


🎙️ Disclosure: A Three-Part Podcast Series


The Docs With Disabilities Podcast has released Disclosure, a three-part series exploring whether, when, and how disabled learners and healthcare professionals disclose a disability. Through lived experiences and perspectives from learners, clinicians, researchers, legal scholars, educators, and disability advocates, the series examines disclosure as an ongoing process shaped by identity, institutional culture, ableism, and power.


Episode 1: The Decision to Disclose

The first episode explores the personal, professional, and institutional factors that shape the decision to disclose. Contributors discuss disclosure not only as a pathway to accommodations, but also in relation to identity, advocacy, community, and the potential risks of stigma and discrimination. 🎧 Listen: Disclosure, Part 1


Episode 2: Navigating Disclosure

The second episode focuses on what happens after someone decides to disclose, including requesting accommodations, navigating institutional processes, managing bias, and balancing authenticity with professional expectations. 🎧 Listen: Disclosure, Part 2


Episode 3: Creating the Conditions for Disclosure

The final episode examines the conditions that can support disclosure, access, trust, and belonging. Contributors discuss flexible accommodation processes, proactive communication, inclusive leadership, faculty and peer support, and community in creating environments where disabled learners and clinicians can thrive. 🎧 Listen: Disclosure, Part 3



New AIM Resources


The Docs With Disabilities Initiative has released six new training videos through its Access in Medicine (AIM) program, created in partnership with the University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness. These resources are designed for learners, disability resource professionals, faculty, and medical and health professions programs and expand the growing AIM resource library.


The six new resources include:


An additional 10 videos are planned for release over the next several months, continuing to expand the AIM resource library.


Publications


Professional Identity After Critical Illness—Every Physician Becomes a Patient

In this invited JAMA Network Open commentary, Drs. Lisa M. Meeks, Rana Awdish, and Christopher J. Moreland examine how critical illness can reshape physicians’ professional identities and experiences of returning to clinical practice. The authors discuss how institutional policies, workplace supports, accommodations, and relationships with colleagues can influence physicians’ recovery and reintegration into medicine. They call for healthcare institutions to recognize illness and vulnerability as parts of physicianhood and to value the perspectives physicians bring from experiencing healthcare as both clinicians and patients.


📖 Read the article: JAMA Network Open


Assessment Accuracy and Accommodation Trustworthiness

In this Medical Teacher letter, Dr. Lisa M. Meeks, Judith Brenner, and Joanna Arnold respond to questions about disability accommodations and assessment validity in medical education. The authors emphasize that accommodation decisions should consider the competency being assessed, the essential components of the assessment, and whether an accommodation removes a disability related barrier while preserving rigor and validity. They highlight the importance of partnership between disability resource professionals and educators, as well as faculty education about ableism and assumptions related to disability, in developing accommodation processes that educators and learners can trust.


📖 Read the article: Medical Teacher


Disability Prevalence, Disclosure, and Accommodation Use in Pediatric Residency: Results From a Pilot Study

This pilot study examines disability prevalence, disclosure, and accommodation use among residents across four pediatric residency programs. Among 69 respondents, 36% self identified as having a disability, with ADHD, chronic health conditions, and psychological disabilities most frequently reported. While findings indicated encouraging rates of accommodation receipt among disabled residents, the study also identified fear of stigma and documentation issues as barriers to requesting accommodations, as well as uncertainty around disability status. The authors note that these preliminary findings should be considered in light of the study’s small sample size, self selected program participation, and potential response bias.


📖 Read the article: Medical Education Online



Associations Between Disability Status, Workplace Accommodations, and Well-Being Among Practicing Physicians and Trainees

This study examines associations between disability status, workplace accommodations, and well-being among physicians and trainees at a large urban academic medical center. Physicians and trainees with disabilities reported lower professional fulfillment, higher burnout, and reduced workplace belonging compared with their nondisabled peers. Among physicians with disabilities, those who received workplace accommodations reported better well-being across measures, and attending physicians with accommodations also reported greater clinical efficiency. The findings highlight the relationship between access to workplace accommodations and physician well-being and workforce sustainability.


📖 Read the article: Health Affairs Scholar


Neurodivergence in Medical Education: Current Landscape and Inclusive Future for Pediatrics

This article examines the experiences of neurodivergent learners in medical education, including individuals with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and related cognitive variations. The authors review structural barriers in policies, learning environments, and faculty evaluation practices, as well as the potential effects of ableism on masking, burnout, mental health, and attrition. The article also highlights emerging advocacy, mentorship, and neuroinclusive practices and considers how pediatrics, with its emphasis on developmental variability, family centered care, and communication across cognitive differences, may contribute to more inclusive training environments.


📖 Read the article: Pediatric Annals



Publications From Our Colleagues


Physicians’ Experiences With Life-Threatening Illness and Return to Work: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study examines the experiences of 22 physicians who experienced life threatening illness or medical events and attempted to return to clinical practice. Participants described tensions between their identities as physicians and patients, including loss of control, changing perceptions of invincibility, identity reformation, and experiencing medical knowledge as both a benefit and a burden. The study also highlights the role of institutional practices, finding that leave policies, workplace supports, and leadership responses shaped physicians’ experiences of returning to work. The authors suggest that more relationship centered approaches to return to work may better support physicians following serious illness.


📖 Read the article: JAMA Network Open


Myths We Tell Ourselves About Validity: A Justice-Oriented Reckoning in Medical Education

This State of the Science article challenges several deeply held assumptions about validity and assessment in medical education. Drawing on justice-oriented assessment validity and Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit), the authors examine four common “myths”: that constructs are universal and stable, removing bias is sufficient, flexibility decreases rigor, and numbers are neutral.


Using the example of a medical student with a hearing disability navigating an OSCE without her approved accommodation, the authors illustrate how assessments designed to be standardized and “objective” can inadvertently measure a learner’s ability to conform to normative conditions rather than the competency they are intended to assess. They argue that flexibility and accessibility can strengthen, rather than weaken, validity by allowing assessments to more accurately measure the intended construct.


The article calls on medical educators to move beyond simply looking for the absence of bias and instead ask whether there is evidence of justice, including whose knowledge defines competence, whose experiences are represented in assessment design, and whether assessments work for those most likely to be harmed by them.


📖 Read the article: Medical Education



💬 Keep the Momentum Going


 Thanks to you, activity across the Docs With Disabilities Initiative keeps climbing—more visits, more downloads, more conversations. We love seeing this community grow.


Here are easy ways to stay connected and amplify the work:


●      Share this issue with a colleague or listserv.

●      Join upcoming DREAM Research Rounds and webinars to learn and exchange ideas.

●      Follow DWDI on social for fresh resources, research updates, and ways to engage.


Every share, RSVP, and follow expands the circle. Thanks for championing accessibility and inclusion in health professions education.

 

 

For any questions reach out to us at docswithdisabilitiesinitiative@gmail.com.

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