Disability is something which can affect all aspects of everyday life, no matter how insignificant it
may seem. The world of medicine and seeking support for injuries and ailments is, of course, a
big part of life, and both sides of the metaphorical fence – doctors and patients – face challenges
when they try to both seek and practice medicine with a disability. The challenges on either end
are complex, and often difficult to navigate for even the most resilient of people.
Patients, first and foremost, struggle greatly when it comes to life with a disability. This is not a
friendly world for anyone who might struggle with a disability which affects their mobility
specifically. Getting to a doctor can often be a struggle, and while most major hospitals are
disability-friendly, smaller surgeries and practices are often not quite so accessible. The other
issue comes when needing to refer people to a specialist for specific testing or examination,
because some people have trouble traveling to a destination.
Understandably, these issues can dissuade many from visiting a doctor even if something is
wrong, and that hasn’t even taken into account the prospect of a misdiagnosis. A good example
would be a person visiting the doctor for an issue with their legs when they have a disability
which affects them. Some doctors would simply write off the problem as being part of the
disability, and not do any proper examinations to find out what the issue is. Understandably, this
is a lot to deal with. It also has the unintended consequence of fostering a dislike of the medical
community among disabled people, especially those who feel they are not being taken
seriously.
All this talk about patients is not to say that doctors don’t also have issues within the world of
medicine. A lot of aspiring surgeons and doctors find that their disability can restrict their
opportunities or outright bar them from the medical profession altogether. A hospital is often a
fast-paced world with a lot of moving from place to place, so this doesn’t always work for
someone who has mobility issues – not to mention anything which affects fine motor control.
These restrictions can impact the overall likelihood of someone entering the medical profession,
and potentially lock out people who could have made a substantial difference to the world of
medicine.
There are challenges on both sides to work through if we have any chance at creating a medical
industry which works well for everyone. It isn’t the easiest thing to try and change by means –
we can’t compromise on the health and welfare of anyone who uses medical services – but
change is needed. We’re naturally shifting towards a more inclusive world, and it is important
that all areas of it are addressed, not just the ones which are easy to tackle. We have to take a
proper look at all areas and ensure that they are restructured and changed to suit the needs of a
disability-friendly world.