The Americans with Disabilities Act: II. Implications and suggestions for compliance for medical schools

There is a need for more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act that is tailored to colleges of medicine so that faculty, staff, and administrators can understand and carry out their responsibilities under the Act. This report (Part II) and the previous one (Part I) in the same issue of Academic Medicine address this need. In Part I, key terms of the Act are defined; the present report focuses on the educational relationship between medical schools, applicants, and students in the context of the Act. A comprehensive array of the Act's implications are discussed in question-and-answer format. For example, what impact does the Act have on the application and admission process? Can a college of medicine ask students whether they have a disability? When does a school's duty to accommodate a disabled student begin? The report concludes with 15 recommended steps that colleges should take to comply with the Act, such as (1) colleges should develop policies and procedures for applicants and students who want to request accommodation for disabilities; (2) colleges should identify the essential abilities and skills required for admission and for participation in the degree program; and (3) colleges should consider instituting alternate dispute resolution procedures. Although following the recommended steps may seem overwhelming, medical schools are obligated by law to accommodate qualified disabled persons; failure to comply with the Act deprives academically qualified persons with disabilities of the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to fulfill degree requirements and become physicians. Medical educators must continue to adjust their understanding and knowledge of the Act's implications for medical schools, given that the interpretation of the Act will evolve as the courts amplify and implement it.