The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law designed to enable individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society as well as to prevent discrimination. Disabilities can be congenital, can arise from trauma or diseases, and also may include “hidden” medical conditions, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, severe arthritis, cancer, diabetes mellitus, or PTSD. Although the ADA requires reasonable accommodations to enable people with disabilities to enjoy equal employment opportunities, we do not often discuss how disabilities or medical conditions could possibly interfere with training in orthopaedic surgery or could even preclude a career in orthopaedics.
Trying to navigate a surgical career with medical conditions or disabilities can be challenging. Someone with diabetes may need regular meals and breaks to monitor blood sugar and insulin levels; a resident with cancer may require leave to receive radiation or chemotherapy treatments; an attending with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome may need modifications in the OR setting to be successful.
Making the training and working environment more accessible, providing assistive technologies, modifying the training/work schedule, and creating a navigable environment in orthopaedics should be standard practice. The faculty on this webinar have all contended with medical conditions and/or disabilities during training and in their careers. These esteemed leaders will provide insights on how to create a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment in orthopaedics for individuals with medical conditions and disabilities.
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