Medical School Groups
Numerous independent groups exist at medical schools across Canada. They often lead separate initiatives and events. However, many of these groups are involved with CAPD projects.
Medical School Groups
Disability Inclusion and Advocacy Group - University of Calgary
https://www.calgarymsa.com/clubs
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The Disability Inclusion and Advocacy Group (DIAG) aims to create a safe space for medical students and physicians with disabilities (both physical and mental) to share their experiences and resources. In conjunction with community and national allies, this group aspires to enhance disability education, inclusion, visibility, accessibility, and advocacy.
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Queen's Medicine Disability & Accessibility Subcommittee
Email qmed.disability.accessibility@gmail.com for more information
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The Queen’s Medicine Disability & Accessibility Subcommittee (D&A), within the Queen's Medicine Aesculapian Society Equity Portfolio, is composed of medical students with disabilities and allies. The D&A is committed to increasing accessibility and disability representation in medical learning environments, as well as in healthcare settings, through cultural and systemic change. The D&A also connects students with disabilities with support and resources, while providing opportunities for all students to learn about allyship and disability advocacy. Through their work, the D&A seeks to address and dismantle ableism within medical contexts. The D&A’s work so far has included speaker events, workshops, accessibility training, panels, faculty and UGME advising, increasing Orientation Week accessibility, and the introduction of an accessibility policy for student-led events.
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Accessibility and Inclusivity in Medicine Club - University of Alberta
Email aimualberta@gmail.com for more information
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The purpose of the Accessibility and Inclusivity in Medicine (AIM) Club is to increase medical student’s awareness, empathy, clinical competence, and knowledge for people who are disabled, neurodiverse, Deaf, or Hard of Hearing and to support learners identifying with these groups. We hold a seat on the faculty’s student EDI committee to collaborate with other EDI-related groups in the program and to advocate for learners who identify with AIM’s focus populations or other EDI-related populations. In addition to advocating for medical learners who identify with AIM focus groups, this club is focused on clinical skill development to address the lack of curricular emphasis on these aforementioned groups. We host lunch talks and speaker panels that include interdisciplinary health care professionals, educators, patients, and families. We also provide clinical skill development opportunities for students through workshop series, and resource guides for clinical use. Finally, we advocate for the inclusion of these patient populations in communication sessions, lectures, and physical exam sessions. We are working on a number of curriculum-related projects to address this.
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Medical Student Accessibility Network (MSAN) - University of Toronto
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2163180047242362
Email nancyviolet.wu@mail.utoronto.ca for more information
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We're a student-led group working to make accommodations accessible to medical students at U of T. We host workshops on the accommodations process, plus in-person and online resources that give students a confidential forum for sharing their experiences with accommodations, and advice to fellow students.
Whether you're facing issues with your physical health, mental health, a disability, or a learning difficulty, we're here to make sure you have the information you need to get support.
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​Accessibility in Medicine - University of British Columbia
https://www.instagram.com/aim.ubc/ https://accessibilityinmed1.wixsite.com/ubc-aim
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​Accessibility in Medicine, a UBC student group, focusing on supporting medical students with disabilities and promoting accessibility in healthcare. The Medical Student Disability Alliance as a branch is dedicated to fostering a community for medical students with disabilities.
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McMaster Medicine Accessibility Subcommittee- McMaster University
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The McMaster Medicine Accessibility Subcommittee is a part of the McMaster Medical Student Council’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. We recognize that physicians with disabilities bring valuable, unique perspectives that contribute to the diversity of healthcare environments. Their experiences often lead to greater empathy, stronger advocacy, and enhanced patient health outcomes. The goal of this Subcommittee is to facilitate equitable access and active participation in the Undergraduate Medical Education program for students with disabilities. This includes reducing structural and social barriers by encouraging the unlearning of ableism. We are working towards this by: 1) substantially improving access to information about registering with accessibility services, the nature of the accommodations that may be available, and logistics regarding obtaining accommodations in medical education; 2) establishing systems to obtain ongoing feedback to support the access needs of medical students, and working with the program to enact changes accordingly; 3) ensuring students have earlier, barrier-free access to consultation with accessibility support staff; and 4) implementing strategies to recruit students with disabilities to the program, as well as improving representation of students with disabilities at admissions events.