"Ableism in medicine"

Ableism in Medicine refers to prejudice, discrimination, systemic barriers, and negative assumptions directed towards individuals with disabilities within the healthcare system and by medical professionals. It represents the manifestation of Ableism within the field and culture of Medicine.

The presence of ableism within the medical field is acknowledged by professionals and experienced by patients. Dr. Robin Molella, former director of Health, Disability & Accommodations for Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, stated in 2017, "There’s pervasive ableism in medicine."

This can manifest in various ways, including:

• Diagnostic overshadowing (attributing unrelated symptoms to a person's disability).
• Assumptions about a disabled person's quality of life.
• Lack of accessible examination rooms, equipment, or communication methods.
• Insufficient training for medical staff regarding disability etiquette and diverse needs.
• A focus on "fixing" or eliminating the disability rather than supporting the patient's well-being and autonomy within their lived experience.

Disability advocate Beth Fox highlighted a particular concern regarding medical perspectives, stating: “[Doctors] see the disease and want to get rid of it by any means necessary...They don’t realize that we can’t eliminate disease by eliminating people with diseases.”

Efforts to address and raise awareness about this issue include institutional accommodations and dedicated discussions, such as the "Countering Ableism In Medicine" panel at the Rehumanize Conference in 2018, which featured disability rights self-advocates.

See Also

• See more generally: Prejudice in Medicine; Classism in Medicine.
• See even more generally: Ableism; Medicine.