Interviewee: Dr. Rhonda Moore 

Interviewer: Dr. Lisa Meeks

Description: 

In this episode of the Docs with Disabilities podcast, Dr. Rhonda Moore, a medical anthropologist and program officer at the NIH shares her journey grappling with chronic pain, autism, and attention deficit disorder, all amidst the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. She very candidly shares insight into her journey as a kid, from growing up with a brother with autism, to taking theater classes as a means to derive and learn confidence. Through her personal narrative, Dr. Moore shed light on the challenges faced by black women in navigating the healthcare system, highlighting the importance of representation and support for individuals with disabilities. The conversation was marked by a deep sense of empathy and understanding, creating a safe and empowering space for Dr. Moore to share her experiences. Together, Drs. Meeks and Moore delve into the complexities of disability, chronic pain, and the pursuit of equity and inclusion in the medical field. Dr. Moore emphasizes the significance of diverse narratives and the power of self-acceptance and support. 

Bio: ​​Rhonda Moore (she/her) is an Autistic Medical Anthropologist and Program Officer for the Genetic Counseling Resource at the  National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program. Her work combines anthropological methods, ethics, data science and clinical medicine to better understand patient experiences and health disparities across culturally and medically diverse care settings (cancer, pain, palliative care), community engaged research, and the differential and ethical impacts of new and emerging technologies on health outcomes in diverse and vulnerable populations. She is writer/editor of the following books: Climate Change and Heath Equity (forthcoming, Springer 2023), the Handbook of Pain and Palliative Care (Springer, 2012, 2nd edition, Springer, 2019), Biobehavioral Approaches to Pain (Springer 2009) and Cancer Culture and Communication (Springer 2004).  Prior to serving at the All of Us Research Program, she was a Program Officer in Global Mental Health at the US NIMH. Her program in Global Mental Health focused on social determinants of health, ethics of new and emerging technologies, citizen science, climate change and mental health, and reciprocal innovation. She was also the program lead for the digital global mental health technology program in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). She received her PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Stanford University, followed by post-doctoral fellowships and training in Behavioral Science (Stanford Medical School), Epidemiology (University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center) and Hospice/Palliative Care (St. Austell, Cornwall UK).

Transcript

Keywords: medical anthropology, actually autistic, community engaged research, disability in medicine, mental health, health equity, ADHD, AuDHD, neurodiversity paradigm, neurodivergence,  chronic pain, EDS, Ehlers Danlos, Fibromyalgia.

Produced by: Pranati Movva, Jasmine Lopez, R.E. Natowicz, Jacob Feeman and Dr. Lisa Meeks. 

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Katie Sullivan

Resources: 

National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Autism Spectrum Disorder. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd#:~:text=Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorder-,Overview,first%202%20years%20of%20life.

Autism Society (2023). https://autismsociety.org/ 

DESCRIPTION:

To cap off Black History Month 2024 we are sharing with you two episodes from Research & Resource Rounds that discuss articles whose authors are rising Black scholars. Dr. Desiree Valentine is an assistant professor for Philosophy at Marquette University who specializes in Critical Philosophy of Race, Feminist Philosophy, Queer Theory, and Disability Bioethics. Dr. Justin Bullock is a Nephrology Fellow at the University of Washington and, newly, the Co-Director of the Docs With Disabilities Initiative.

These shows are two of our favorites, both reflecting crucial developments in thinking, research, and mentorship to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in healthcare.

Ep 5: Desiree Valentine proposes the lens of Racialized Disablement, a conceptual tool for highlighting how racism and ableism are locked in a constant dynamic interchange where the manifestations and significations of one shape the other—and vice versa. As heuristic and pedagogical tool, Racialized Disablement helps break down how and why race and disability, racism and ableism are inseparable. Across history, medical practices, healthcare, and other sociopolitical contexts the concepts of disability and race are inextricably linked and, in fact, co-constructing, as are their counterparts ableism and racism.

Ep 15: Episode 15 discusses “‘Yourself in all your forms’: A grounded theory exploration of identity safety in medical students” (Bullock et al. 2023). Bullock and his colleagues develop a theory of identity safety through careful analysis of 16 in-depth interviews with 3rd and 4th medical students with a diverse range of identities and experiences. The article identifies and describes key dimensions of identity threat, threat mitigation, and identity safety. Three factors contributing to identity safety that emerged from the team’s analysis: Agency to serve, upholding personhood, and a sense of belonging. Identity safety manifested as students sharing a particular minoritized identity with their attending physician, wearing a particular item or hair style, presenting themselves in a particular way, or feeling respected as unique individuals by both their peers and supervisors. When experiencing identity safety, students felt empowered to draw on their own unique experiential knowledge grounded in their particular identities when treating a patient.

Recommended resources citations:

Stergiopoulos, Erene, Ligia Fragoso, and Lisa M. Meeks. 2021. “Cultural Barriers to Help-Seeking in Medical Education.” JAMA Internal Medicine 181 (2): 155–56. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.7567.

Jain, Neera. Oct 4, 2023. “Dream Research Rounds 9: The Capability Imperative: Revealing Ableism in Medical Education.” Webinar.” https://www.docswithdisabilities.org/post/dream-research-rounds-9-the-capability-imperative-revealing-ableism-in-medical-education

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Ep 5

DOI: 10.1111/bioe.12979

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jh04JjGtb48EF1WlOtvkOa9E7_-1W-G6/edit

Ep 15

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.15174

Transcript

Keywords:

Identity safety

Identity threat

Threat mitigation

Medical Racism

Racialized Disablement

Diversity in Medicine

Produced by: Zoey Martin-Lockhart

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Zoey Martin-Lockhart

Special Series Focus: DRP’s: Emerging DRP Leaders in Medical Education

Description

Transcript

Keywords: Disability Resource Professional, Disability, DRP, Accommodation, Leadership, Mentorship.

Produced by: Lisa Meeks and Jacob Feeman

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Lisa Meeks

Special Series Focus: DRP’s

From Guidance to Growth: The Impact of Mentorship in Disability Services

 Hashtags: #MentoringMonth #ThankYourMentorDay

Description

This episode explores the critical role of mentorship and sponsorship in building the next generation of disability resource professionals (DRPs). The participants discuss their experiences as mentors and mentees, emphasizing the importance of community, support, and collaboration within the field. They highlight the value of peer mentoring and the power of investing in others. The conversation also touches on the emotional commitment and enduring connections that come with mentorship. Committed to growth and sustainability in the profession, the participants discuss the need for succession planning. They emphasize the need for communication, guidance, and empowerment in mentoring relationships. The impact of mentoring on individuals and the profession is highlighted, as well as the importance of leaving a legacy and paying it forward. The conversation addresses the challenges of fostering the next generation of DRPs and concludes with the importance self-care, including maintaining boundaries and work-life balance. 

Host

Lisa Meeks: The host of the podcast and mentee to all of the guests.

Guests 

• Jane Jarrow : The President of Disability Access Information and Support, Jane brings over two decades of private consulting experience and a rich history as the first executive director of AHEAD. With a background in speech and hearing, she's been a pivotal figure in the growth of disability services.

• Jane Thierfeld Brown : With over 44 years in disability services, Jane's work at the University of Connecticut School of Law and her focus on college students with autism have made her a renowned expert. As a director of College Autism Spectrum, she continues to influence the field.

• Paul Grossman: Serving as the Executive Counsel of AHEAD, Paul's journey from a college dropout due to dyslexia to a leading civil rights attorney for the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights is nothing short of inspiring. His contributions to post-secondary disability law are foundational.

• Michelle Rigler: As the Executive Director of the Disability Resource Center at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Michelle has mentored several up and coming DRP leaders. Michelle's creation of the Mosaic program stands as a testament to her dedication to individuals with autism and her work with NavigateU further extends her impact on the field.

• Jan Serrantino: Retired from the University of California, Irvine, Jan's career transitioned from advocating for children in foster care to teaching and leading in disability services. She now assists students with accommodations for high-stakes exams and consults with medical schools.

Transcript

Keywords: Disability Resource Professional, Disability, DRP, Accommodation, Mentorship, Sponsorship, Authenticity, Succession Planning, AHEAD.

Produced by: Lisa Meeks and Jacob Feeman

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Lisa Meeks

Interviewee: Dr. Katherine Vakil

Interviewer: Dr. Kruti Shah

Description: In this episode, we are delighted to be joined by Dr. Katherine Vakil, a pharmacist and Pharmacy Services Manager based in the Chicago area, and guest host Dr. Kruti Shah, who is a Clinical Operations Pharmacist at Rush. Dr. Shah was recently featured on the podcast as a guest in Episode 74. If you haven’t yet listened to that interview, we highly recommend you check it out after finishing this one. Today, Dr. Shah is back, this time in the interview role, for a conversation with Dr. Vakil about navigating university and pharmacy schools with a disability, figuring out what speaks to you in your career journey, and learning how to seek out the accommodations you need as a learner and patient. We begin with an introduction from Dr. Vakil. 

Bio:  Katherine Vakil is the Pharmacy Services Manager at Erie Family Health Centers. In 2017, Katherine established a new Pharmacy Services team at Erie, which focuses on improving medication access for patients. Katherine received her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota and Master of Public Health at Northwestern University in Chicago. In 2022, Katherine completed a Disability Leadership Fellowship with Disability Lead. In October 2022, Katherine established the Disability Employee Resource Group (ERG) at Erie and is currently the co-chair. Katherine was born hard of hearing and wears hearing aids. 

Transcript

Keywords: disability, health equity, accessibility, pharmacy, hearing loss, accommodations, pharmacy, disabled pharmacist

Produced by: Sofia Schlozman and Lisa Meeks 

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Katie Sullivan

Resources: 

Disability Lead Program

Dr. Kruti Shah’s interview 

Co-Moderators: Drs. Diana Cejas and Allison Kessler

Interviewee: Dr. Amy Rule, Dr. Sylvia Robinson, Dr. Paige Church, Dr. Jennifer Arnold, Dr. Ashina Singh 

This panel was live on December 5th 2023. 

In Episode 81, we bring the “Women with Disabilities in Medicine: Illuminating the Pathway” panel to our podcast audience. While the literature suggests a sharp (115%) increase in students with disabilities entering medical education, the growth in the population of practicing physicians (2%) has not kept pace. One reason may be the lack of mentorship. Mentorship is a key part of a successful transition to a career in medicine, especially for women. Practicing physicians share their insight into navigating the training-to-work pathway, thriving as a doctor with disability, and balancing the multiple demands that often disproportionately impact women.

Transcript

Produced by: Lisa Meeks 

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Katie Sullivan

Keywords: disability, doctors with disabilities, accessibility, med ed, women in medicine, disability identity, ableism, internalized ableism, accommodations, physician, pediatrics, the match, residency, medical education. 

DWDI Podcast Website: https://www.docswithdisabilities.org/podcast 

Sponsors 

Michigan Medicine Center for Disability Health and Wellness

Stanford Medicine Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Equity

Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Loss (AMPHL)

Michigan Medicine Department of Family Medicine Disability Program

Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center

APHA Disability Section

Interviewee: Dr. Pete Poullos

Description: In this special 2 part series, Dr. Neera Jain interviews friend and colleague Dr. Peter Poullos on his experiences as a person with a disability. Dr. Poullos candidly reflects on his journey coming into a disability identity and how learning from a vibrant community of diverse individuals has elevated his thinking about disability justice. He shares insight into the power of community and how transformational it has been in forming the disability resource group at Stanford Medicine. Throughout the interview, Drs Jain and Poullos discuss their shared experiences and their roles as advocates for individuals with disabilities in medicine.

Bio: Dr. Poullos is from Stockton, California. He attended Santa Clara University, then received his M.D. degree at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston, after which he did an Internal Medicine residency at the University of California-San Francisco, finishing in 2002. He stayed at UCSF as a Gastroenterology fellow but, after a spinal cord injury, he decided to retrain in Radiology. He did his Radiology residency at Stanford University, where he also completed a fellowship In Body Imaging in 2009. Dr. Poullos is now faculty in both the departments of Radiology and Gastroenterology and Hepatology.  

In 2018, Dr. Poullos founded the Stanford Medicine Abilities Coalition (SMAC), which he serves as Executive Director. In that role, Dr. Poullos advocates for students and healthcare providers with disabilities, as well as for health equity for disabled patients. He is a faculty advisor to the Medical Students with Disability and Chronic Illness (MSDCI). He has paired up with Dr. Lisa Meeks to co-produce the DocsWithDisabilities podcast to increase awareness around the importance of increasing disability representation amongst students and practitioners in healthcare. “Disability is not a problem to solve, it is the solution to our problems.”

Transcript

Produced by: Kadesha Treco and Lisa Meeks 

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Katie Sullivan

Keywords: disability, doctors with disabilities, accessibility, med ed, disability identity, radiology, SCI, Spinal Chord Injury. ableism, internalized ableism 

DWDI Podcast Website: https://www.docswithdisabilities.org/podcast  

References

Stergiopoulos, E., Fernando, O., & Martimianakis, M. A. (2018). “Being on both sides”: Canadian medical students’ experiences with disability, the hidden curriculum, and professional identity construction. Academic Medicine, 93(10), 1550-1559.

Resources:

Dr. Jain’s article "Political disclosure: resisting ableism in medical education" 

Interviewees: 

Cleveland Clinic Group - Craig Nielsen MD (Clinical Leadership), Stacie Jhaveri MD, 

Diane Young MD (OB-GYN clerkship), Theresa Papich (4th year medical student).

Description:

This is a story about what happens when everything goes well and when creativity and a can do attitude lead the discussion. Today, we are talking with a team of OB-GYN clerkship, residency and clinical leaders from Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, and Theresa Papich, a 4th year medical school student who is a wheelchair user. Throughout our conversation we discuss the accommodations employed to create equal access and the lessons learned along the way.  Most importantly we’ll talk with Theresa about how this experience felt for her and what she believes schools can do to improve access for learners with disabilities.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/DWDI_Podcast_Ep79

Produced by: Lisa Meeks and Tamar Faggen

Audio editor: Jacob Feeman

Digital Media: Katie Sullivan

Keywords: medical education, disability representation, doctors with disabilities, accessibility, disability mentorship, OB-GYN, clerkship, disability inclusion, wheelchair user, clinical accommodations, internal medicine

Website: https://www.docswithdisabilities.org/podcast