Commitment to Support
We are committed to supporting students in navigating barriers they encounter in medical school that are caused by disabilities.
UMMS Commitment to Support Students with Disabilities
The University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) is committed to supporting students in navigating barriers they encounter in medical school that are caused by disabilities -- whether that disability pre-existed, develops while at school, or is recognized for the first time during your time here. To receive accommodations, it is important to reach out to the Learning & Accessibility team to engage in the interactive, iterative process to explore reasonable and appropriate accommodations. This iterative process includes the uniting of curriculum, and student and coordinating with the applicable UMMS faculty and staff. Your partnership is vital in the iterative process of uniting curriculum, determining barriers, and appropriate accommodations.
JT Sangsland, MEd
Manager of Learning & Accessibility Services
[email protected]
Jensen Whitmore
Learning & Accessibility Services Specialist
[email protected]
Administrative Coordinator
Nix Sang
[email protected]
Your admission cannot be revoked based on your need for accommodations. You can review our technical standards here. You may reach out to discuss specific instances or questions about technical standards with our Learning & Accessibility team.
We encourage you to feel comfortable contacting our Learning and Accessibility team for a private discussion about barriers related to disability that you may encounter in medical school.
Applying For Accommodations
The Learning & Accessibility team will work with you, and applicable UMMS staff and faculty, to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations. Once accepted by UMMS, it is important to proactively speak with someone on the Learning & Accessibility team to initiate the process for requesting accommodations. Though UMMS supports accommodation requests at any time during medical school, be aware that accommodations are not retroactive, and sufficient time is needed to implement accommodations.
In addition, contact the Learning & Accessibility team if:
- You receive a disability diagnosis while in medical school.
- You suspect you may have a disability and need guidance on scheduling a formal evaluation.
- You would like a private consultation to explore options. Discussing options with the Learning & Accessibility team does not obligate you to pursue accommodations or disclose the conversation to anyone beyond the Learning & Accessibility office.
Different disabilities require different forms of documentation for verification; the Learning & Accessibility team will advise you as to the specific documentation you will need to submit.
Assessing And Diagnosing Learning Disabilities
Occasionally while at UMMS, students notice that they learn differently than their peers and realize that this has been a life-long pattern in many academic environments. The Learning & Accessibility team can help students locate providers who perform formal assessments to identify learning disabilities. The results of the assessment often bring great relief and self-actualization of skills and challenges experienced over a lifetime. The post-assessment report also provides a basis for developing and experiencing appropriate accommodations.
Part of the iterative process is revisiting approved accommodations ahead of transitions in the curriculum. It is important that if you believe you will need accommodations in the clinical settings you reach out to the Learning & Accessibility team, to determine reasonable accommodations in collaboration with program directors. The Learning & Accessibility team’s contact information can be found at the top of the page.
Yes. The Learning & Accessibility team is a key partner in applying for accommodations on USMLE Exams. To ensure sufficient time to develop and submit requests, please reach out to the team at least 4 months prior to submission.
Yes. Students who have sustained a temporary injury can meet with the Learning & Accessibility team to discuss appropriate, temporary accommodations and the duration that they will be needed.
Please reach out! Whether you are prospective, recently admitted, or a current student, the Learning & Accessibility team is here and happy to meet to discuss any questions or concerns.
Depending on the request, the accommodation may fall under our office or maybe something you are entitled to without formally requesting from our office. We encourage you to learn more at Home | Equity, Civil Rights & Title IX Office or reach out to us for a private consultation.
