Health Science Education

Requesting Accommodations in Health Science Education

In line with its Vision, Mission and Values, Student Accessibility Services (SAS) responds to students with disabilities’ requests for accommodations. SAS engages individually and privately upon request from students in Yale’s health science education programs, who will make the population of health care professionals reflective of the national population, including individuals with disabilities.

There are some unique aspects of the health science programs at Yale that may be different from the undergraduate experience. These aspects are worth discussing with SAS as you consider what accommodations you might need, and what plan you may want to put in place to prepare for academic and clinical experiences.

Accommodations are never retroactive; therefore, timely requests are essential and encouraged. We encourage you to request accommodations upon acceptance into your school/program as to begin this process early, however, request for accommodations may be submitted at any time. Below is the step-by-step process for requesting accommodations. Remember, your inquiry is private, and you are welcome to obtain general information about accessibility and accommodations without submitting a request form.

Step 1. Make a formal request for accommodations

Complete and submit the Accommodations Request form. Click the following button for more information and to start this process. As part of the request for accommodations, you will be asked to provide a self-report regarding what you are experiencing academically and documentation from your provider.

Step 2. Provide documentation of your disability

SAS has developed Documentation Guidelines to assist students with various disabilities and conditions with requesting the necessary documentation from their treatment providers. Students who do not have documentation of their condition, and/or who believe they have an undiagnosed condition, should contact SAS to discuss their circumstances further.

Step 3. Determination of eligibility and accommodations

SAS takes into consideration the information provided during the initial/welcoming meeting, your disability documentation, and the requirements of your program to determine specific accommodations. This is an interactive process in which it is essential that you be an active participant and through that process, SAS will work with you to do the following:

• Discuss potential accommodations to address any barriers to the curriculum or clinical portion of your training.
• Ensure that any requested accommodations are reasonable and that they do not alter an essential feature of the curriculum or technical standards of your program.
• When a request is approved, you will be emailed a copy of your accommodation letter stating what you were approved for and you will work with a designated official in your program to implement the approved accommodations. Please note that the designated official will only be aware of your accommodations and won’t have access to your disability related information.
• Accommodations are valid for the duration of your program, unless otherwise stated on the accommodation letter.

SAS will also consult with program officials to determine if requests challenge program standards. Consultations with a program official will only focus on potential accommodations and will not include your disability-related information.

Accommodations are not considered reasonable if:

• Making the accommodation or allowing participation poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others;
• Making the accommodation means making a substantial change in an essential element of the curriculum (educational viewpoint);
• It poses an undue financial or administrative burden.

If a request for accommodation is not reasonable, SAS will work with you to determine equally effective accommodations.