Equal Access in Science & Medicine
The Equal Access in Science and Medicine committee is the student-led organization for trainees with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions at the Johns Hopkins University East Baltimore campus.
About Us
Founding Principles
1. People with disabilities are a valuable component of a diverse workforce but are underrepresented in medicine and biomedical sciences.
2. People with disabilities in science and medicine face social and institutional barriers to success related to the structure, culture, and climate of training programs. Barriers to access may be based on stereotypes, generalizations, or outdated information.
3. In a high-stakes, competitive environment, trainees with disabilities may fear disclosure because of real or imagined concerns about judgment, bias, licensing, clinical privileges, and skewed perception of ability.
The Equal Access in Science and Medicine committee aims to address these issues by creating a sense of community among students with disabilities, providing resources and educational materials for supporting students with disabilities in clinical and lab environments, and advocating for policies that benefit students with disabilities.
Three Tenets
Education
Providing resources for students with disabilities and educating the broader Johns Hopkins community about the value of including the perspectives of individuals with disabilities.
Community
Creating spaces for trainees in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and School of Public Health to share experiences related to disability and organizing mentorship opportunities for trainees with disabilities.
Advocacy
Identifying unmet needs among students with disabilities and advocating for policies that support current and future students with disabilities.
Focus on Education
Lecture Series
The Equal Access in Science and Medicine lecture series is a new event series featuring the perspectives of scientists and clinicians with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and mental health conditions.
The series aims to provide role models to trainees with these conditions and to highlight barriers to access in science and medicine.
Dr. Kay Jamison delivered the inaugural Equal Access in Science and Medicine lecture in February, 2020
New and Noteworthy
Disability, Science, & Medicine News
When I Talk About the Pandemic, I am Ghosted
Check out this incredibly powerful blog by EASM member and Hopkins School of Public Health student, Gloria Sun, about pandemic denial. Thank you for sharing, Gloria!
An interview with Dr. González Fernández, MD, PhD, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
The following is a transcription of an interview between Lisa Young of Equal Access in Science and Medicine and Dr. Marlís González Fernández of Johns Hopkins Medicine LY: You joined the [Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation] Department as a faculty member in 2004 and have been here for 18 years. Why did you choose Johns Hopkins…
For Student Founders with Disabilities, Entrepreneurship is Personal
This article was originally published on Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures website at https://ventures.jhu.edu/news/student-founders-disabilities/ The following was written by Erica Avery, FastForward U’s communications intern. July is Disability Pride Month. While many devices designed by biomedical engineers have passed through FastForward U’s doors to treat illnesses and physical disabilities, some founders are approaching supporting disability from…
Get Involved
Want to find out more about the Equal Access in Science and Medicine committee? Have ideas for how we can improve? Contact us by email, ask for an invite to our community Slack channel, or join our Listserv for updates.
Equal Access in Science & Medicine 