Federal Disability Job Fair - June 9

The U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with The Federal Executive Board will hold a Job Fair for people with disabilities from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on June 9, 2011 in Richardson, TX. Two sessions will each present 'How to Apply “Schedule A” Authority in the Federal Government?' and 'Employment and Training Programs and Career Websites.' For more information, contact Blas Rueda-Caraballo at (972) 850-4459 or rueda-caraballo.blas@dol.gov or click here (PDF)

Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses (AMPHL)

The Association of Medical Professionals With Hearing Losses, abbreviated as “AMPHL,” provides information, promotes advocacy and mentorship, and creates a network for individuals with hearing loss interested in or working in health care fields.

AMPHL was founded in 2000 by individuals who recognized the profound need to address issues surrounding their hearing loss as members of health care fields.

AMPHL allows deaf/hard of hearing health care professionals and students to give and receive support from each other regarding obstacles faced and solutions to those challenges.

AMPHL helps educate the colleagues and instructors of deaf/hard of hearing health care professionals and students.

Medical students with learning disabilities

Recently, we've had the opportunity to communicate with a number of medical students who have learning disabilities. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about learning disabilities:
Learning disability (sometimes called a learning disorder or learning difficulty), is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors. The unknown factor is the disorder that affects the brain's ability to receive and process information. This disorder can make it problematic for a person to learn as quickly or in the same way as someone who is not affected by a learning disability. People with a learning disability have trouble performing specific types of skills or completing tasks if left to figure things out by themselves or if taught in conventional ways.
There are a number of different conditions that may impact one's learning ability. Here's another interesting point that's made in this article:
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often studied in connection with learning disabilities, but it is not actually included in the standard definitions of learning disabilities. An individual with ADHD may struggle with learning, but he or she can often learn adequately once successfully treated for the ADHD. A person can have ADHD but not learning disabilities or have learning disabilities without having ADHD. The conditions can co-occur.
Regardless of whether ADHD is included in the standard definitions of learning disabilities, it's important to provide students with the necessary resources and support to survive medical school.

New website: www.PhysicianswithDisabilities.org

You can now find the Society of Physicians with Disabilities on our new URL:
http://www.PhysicianswithDisabilities.org
Please make sure to change your bookmarks.

The Society of Physicians with Disabilities is a group within the Society of Healthcare Professionals with Disabilities.

Depression in Medical School

Are medical students more prone to depression? Is the stress of medical school too burdensome? Why do medical students get depressed?

Over the years, I've spoken with a number of medical students who suffered from depression. When my wife and I were in medical school, we were both under tremendous stress. Plus, we were sleep deprived. Now, add the fact that we were treating dying patients, very sick individuals, and grieving family members. Does that seem like a recipe for depression?

Medical school can be a very difficult experience, both mentally and emotionally. When I was in medical school, I remember dealing with my first patient who died in the hospital. I also remember performing CPR on a dying patient. I had to remove myself from my emotions so that I could focus on performing chest compressions on a patient who no longer had a pulse. 

The majority of US medical schools offer robust mental health services for medical students, but a number of them do not. Therefore, students who recognize signs of depression in themselves or in others should not hesitate to seek professional help. Depression can be a disability.  Make sure to seek help if you think you're depressed.