The Zucker School of Medicine has an institutional commitment to provide equal educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities who apply for admission to or are enrolled as students in its educational program. As part of a University with a history of leadership in student diversity and individual rights, the Zucker School of Medicine commits to full compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A "qualified person with a disability" is an individual with a disability who meets the academic and technical standards required for admission to and participation in the Zucker School of Medicine's educational programs, with or without accommodation. As previously noted, admitted candidates with disabilities are reviewed individually, on a case-by-case basis, with complete and careful consideration of all the skills, attitudes and attributes of the candidate to determine whether there are any reasonable accommodations or available options that would permit the candidate to satisfy the standards. An accommodation is not reasonable if it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of self and/or others, if making it requires a substantial modification in an essential element of the curriculum, if it lowers academic standards, or if it poses an undue administrative burden on the University.
Procedure
Admitted candidates who have a disability and need accommodations should initiate discussions with the Office of Academic Success as soon as the offer of admission is received and accepted. It is the responsibility of a candidate with a disability to provide sufficiently current information documenting the general nature and extent of the candidate's disability and the functional limitations for which accommodations are proposed. The process of evaluating and facilitating accommodation requests is a collaborative effort between the candidate and the Zucker School of Medicine. To facilitate that process, the Zucker School of Medicine reserves the right to request new or additional information.
Should a candidate have or develop a condition that would place patients, the candidate, or others at risk, or that may affect the candidate's need for accommodation, the School may perform a complete and careful reconsideration of all the skills, attitudes, and attributes of the candidate. This includes an assessment of the candidate's ability to meet all advancement and graduation requirements of the medical curriculum and will be informed by the knowledge that students with varied types of disabilities have the ability to become successful medical professionals.
References to Regulations and/or Other Related Policies
Policy on Essential Capacities for Matriculation, Advancement, and Graduation
Policy on Essential Capacities for PhD Students
Last updated: July 2020