Accommodating success: A student guide to disability support in pharmacy school

Since 2012, there has been a significant increase in the number of students with disabilities (SWD) enrolled in higher education.1 With this rise, the number of SWD enrolled into health science professional programs has also increased.2 For example, in allopathic medicine programs, the proportion of students who disclosed a disability in 2019 was reported to be 4.6%, growing from 2.7% in 2016.3 In parallel with this expansion in enrollment of students reporting disabilities, there may also be an increasing number of students who need and seek disability accommodations in pharmacy education. The accommodation process is interactive and based on barriers related to a student’s diagnosis. Accommodations are reasonable and effective academic adjustments or auxiliary aids that allow students with a disability to have educational access that is equivalent to that of their peers.4 The Americans with Disabilities Act defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that limits at least one or more major life activity.5 Disabilities can include chronic health conditions, learning disabilities, visual or hearing impairments, mental health conditions, neurodiversity, and more. In a 2020 study evaluating the prevalence of disability in undergraduate medical education, the most frequently reported disabilities were attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, psychological disabilities, and chronic health disabilities.6 It is important to note, however, that a student’s experiences with their disability, as well as the barriers that are encountered related to the disability, are unique to each student. Thus, accommodations are individualized and not simply based on a diagnosis.