Comments on: The Short Bus: Thoughts on Disability, Mortality, and Accommodations http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/ Med Student, Novelist, Essayist Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:16:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: blakecharlton http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-7332 blakecharlton Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:30:05 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-7332 Hi Georgia! Thank you for the kind words here. I’m very sorry to hear about your unfortunate turn of events regarding the healthcare. I hope after the harrowing, things went more smoothly! And thank you also for the kind words about the writing. It’s wonderful to see someone so supportive her younger short bus riders. Do tell them from me that things get betters I hope you/they/anyone enjoy’s Spellwright! Hi Georgia! Thank you for the kind words here. I’m very sorry to hear about your unfortunate turn of events regarding the healthcare. I hope after the harrowing, things went more smoothly! And thank you also for the kind words about the writing. It’s wonderful to see someone so supportive her younger short bus riders. Do tell them from me that things get betters I hope you/they/anyone enjoy’s Spellwright!

]]> By: georgia http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-7290 georgia Sat, 16 Oct 2010 18:04:32 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-7290 After harrowing experiences with the local medical facility,(Really, can one mistake ischemic stroke for pink eye?) I was drawn to the the NYT article re the art/value of physical exams and thence to Stanford 25, and then to your pages. As mom and gram to sometime short bus riders, I am overjoyed to hear there is a doctor that has experienced this realm. The #amazonfail thing is the funniest thing I've read in a long, long time. I forwarded it to the kids. I'm definitely buying this book as soon as I can cobble together the price. You go, Doc! After harrowing experiences with the local medical facility,(Really, can one mistake ischemic stroke for pink eye?) I was drawn to the the NYT article re the art/value of physical exams and thence to Stanford 25, and then to your pages.

As mom and gram to sometime short bus riders, I am overjoyed to hear there is a doctor that has experienced this realm.

The #amazonfail thing is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long, long time. I forwarded it to the kids. I’m definitely buying this book as soon as I can cobble together the price.

You go, Doc!

]]> By: blakecharlton http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-282 blakecharlton Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:51:57 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-282 Thank you so much for these thoughtful remarks! You are so very right about the being trained to accommodate our patients' disabilities while our own disabilities are denied. Many days I can laugh about the irony of it, but some days I have to fume about the unfairness of it all. Doctors have trouble admitting to their own shortcomings. There's some of this at play in medicine's wrongful denial of student accomodations; they can't recognized us as both disabled and doctors. If we are to become doctors, we must deny our disabilities. (And I should say that I was rightly denied accommodations. Sadly, my research suggests I am in the minority in this regard). It's not good for patients that doctors can't recognize disability within their ranks. It is, I think, one of the reasons why society is so obsessed with the "wounded healer" archetype, presently typified (heaven help us)in the character of House MD. I think that we are so obsessed with the wounded healer because, on some level, everyone knows that the idea of the "impeccable physician" is only an idea. Thanks again for your thoughtful and kind words. I hope to hear more about your training (not having any other LD Med student with whom to compare notes). Meantime, take very good care! Thank you so much for these thoughtful remarks! You are so very right about the being trained to accommodate our patients’ disabilities while our own disabilities are denied. Many days I can laugh about the irony of it, but some days I have to fume about the unfairness of it all.

Doctors have trouble admitting to their own shortcomings. There’s some of this at play in medicine’s wrongful denial of student accomodations; they can’t recognized us as both disabled and doctors. If we are to become doctors, we must deny our disabilities. (And I should say that I was rightly denied accommodations. Sadly, my research suggests I am in the minority in this regard).

It’s not good for patients that doctors can’t recognize disability within their ranks. It is, I think, one of the reasons why society is so obsessed with the “wounded healer” archetype, presently typified (heaven help us)in the character of House MD. I think that we are so obsessed with the wounded healer because, on some level, everyone knows that the idea of the “impeccable physician” is only an idea.

Thanks again for your thoughtful and kind words. I hope to hear more about your training (not having any other LD Med student with whom to compare notes). Meantime, take very good care!

]]> By: Another MS http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-276 Another MS Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:28:22 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-276 I empathize your situation with dyslexia and the absurdity of the NBME and USMLE. Here we are in the medical field where it is supposed to help those with medical/physical/other disabilities...it is the only field left (compared to law, business, other professional fields) in which students with learning disability have to go through so much more hoops, where medical students with learning disability but high intelligence basically are denied to be on the same playing field, where their future is basically marred by a score that does not reflect truly what they know and how they can critically think, where their options are closed because of a score.... It is the only professional field left where it does not believe that students with learning disability are actually very intelligent and can apply what they know in much creative ways to bring great contributions. Ironically, it is THE FIELD that MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE students with disability since it is THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL FIELD that has a fighting chance of helping these students. I myself was denied the accommodations and had to work ten times harder than everyone else. I will forever have to struggle through the absurdity of timed standardized tests which will NEVER allow me to demonstrate what I can do. I applaud your braveness and sincere honesty in telling your story. Thank you for sharing your story to give hope to others! Good luck with the rest of your medical training. I empathize your situation with dyslexia and the absurdity of the NBME and USMLE. Here we are in the medical field where it is supposed to help those with medical/physical/other disabilities…it is the only field left (compared to law, business, other professional fields) in which students with learning disability have to go through so much more hoops, where medical students with learning disability but high intelligence basically are denied to be on the same playing field, where their future is basically marred by a score that does not reflect truly what they know and how they can critically think, where their options are closed because of a score…. It is the only professional field left where it does not believe that students with learning disability are actually very intelligent and can apply what they know in much creative ways to bring great contributions. Ironically, it is THE FIELD that MUST NOT DISCRIMINATE students with disability since it is THE ONLY PROFESSIONAL FIELD that has a fighting chance of helping these students. I myself was denied the accommodations and had to work ten times harder than everyone else. I will forever have to struggle through the absurdity of timed standardized tests which will NEVER allow me to demonstrate what I can do.

I applaud your braveness and sincere honesty in telling your story. Thank you for sharing your story to give hope to others! Good luck with the rest of your medical training.

]]> By: BlakeCharlton.com » What’s in a Score? What’s in a Score? http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-258 BlakeCharlton.com » What’s in a Score? What’s in a Score? Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:14:39 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-258 [...] those who consistently read this blog, both of you might remember my post about how the exam brought me to my knees. Preparing for the test and confronting my fears about my disability created one of the most [...] [...] those who consistently read this blog, both of you might remember my post about how the exam brought me to my knees. Preparing for the test and confronting my fears about my disability created one of the most [...]

]]> By: blakecharlton http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-207 blakecharlton Thu, 27 Aug 2009 03:48:51 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-207 Jess, Eliza, & Kei: thanks so much. You are all friends better than anyone deserves. Darcy: How wonderful to hear! Bless you for your compassion. Receiving the "right" accommodation is, I very firmly believe, what we are all after. Keep fighting the good fight. Jess, Eliza, & Kei: thanks so much. You are all friends better than anyone deserves.

Darcy: How wonderful to hear! Bless you for your compassion. Receiving the “right” accommodation is, I very firmly believe, what we are all after. Keep fighting the good fight.

]]> By: Darcy http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-206 Darcy Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:01:26 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-206 Your reflections on disability and accommodation are thought-provoking. I work with students with disabilities in higher education. One of the things I do is meet with students to determine appropriate academic accommodations based on the documentation they provide. I'm going to remember you when I'm meeting with students. Thank you! Your reflections on disability and accommodation are thought-provoking. I work with students with disabilities in higher education. One of the things I do is meet with students to determine appropriate academic accommodations based on the documentation they provide. I’m going to remember you when I’m meeting with students. Thank you!

]]> By: Kei http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-205 Kei Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:03:27 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-205 "The test has come and gone, and I’m still alive. It felt absolutely, completely brutal." You faced a major obstacle and survived. Congratulations! Will this make you a better writer? Could be. A better physician? Oh, absolutely. Mostly I think this experience will make you an even more compassionate, empathetic person than you already are. Hope you took some time to celebrate. “The test has come and gone, and I’m still alive. It felt absolutely, completely brutal.”
You faced a major obstacle and survived. Congratulations! Will this make you a better writer? Could be. A better physician? Oh, absolutely. Mostly I think this experience will make you an even more compassionate, empathetic person than you already are.
Hope you took some time to celebrate.

]]> By: Eliza http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-203 Eliza Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:44:14 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-203 This is really good. I have always felt as though I knew you really well yet, after this piece, I feel like another layer has been revealed... one that was underneath all the other deep parts of who you are. Thank you for sharing! This is really good. I have always felt as though I knew you really well yet, after this piece, I feel like another layer has been revealed… one that was underneath all the other deep parts of who you are. Thank you for sharing!

]]> By: Jess http://www.blakecharlton.com/2009/08/the-short-bus-thoughts-on-disability-mortality-and-accommodations/comment-page-1/#comment-204 Jess Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:37:36 +0000 http://blakecharlton.wordpress.com/?p=343#comment-204 This is gorgeous, which seems the wrong and the right word. As one of your many editors, I feel compelled to make an addition to paragraph 5: in addition to misdiagnosing yourself, you also managed to convince one of your most attractive and brilliant (but not always smart) friends that she probably had ovarian cancer. Can't wait to celebrate the test (and I have no doubt, the results) properly very soon! This is gorgeous, which seems the wrong and the right word.

As one of your many editors, I feel compelled to make an addition to paragraph 5: in addition to misdiagnosing yourself, you also managed to convince one of your most attractive and brilliant (but not always smart) friends that she probably had ovarian cancer.

Can’t wait to celebrate the test (and I have no doubt, the results) properly very soon!

]]>