The Call is Coming from Inside the House: Racism and Ableism in US Medical Education
Hannah L Kakara Anderson1,2, Abigail W Konopasky3,4, Justin L Bullock2,5
1Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Teaching and Learning in Medicine
|December 19, 2025
Summary
Racism and ableism create horrifying experiences for disabled, racially marginalized medical students. These students fight systemic discrimination and build support networks, leaving a legacy for future trainees.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Social Sciences
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Ableism and racism are known to harm and marginalize medical students.
- Intersectional experiences of disabled and racially marginalized medical students remain under-researched.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the interconnected workings of racism and ableism in the lives of disabled and racially marginalized medical students.
- To identify counterstories and resistant actions within U.S. medical education.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interview study with 12 racially marginalized disabled medical students.
- Theoretical and heterogeneous sampling used for recruitment.
- DisCrit tenets and horror story tropes employed for analysis.
Main Results:
- Participants faced discrimination and marginalization within medical institutions.
- Support systems often perpetuated discriminatory practices.
- Students developed resistance strategies and "misfit squads" for survival and support.
Conclusions:
- The intersection of racism and ableism creates significant challenges in medical education.
- Experiences highlight systemic injustices and the need for institutional change.
- The study documents student resistance and aims to inform future trainees.
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