Ableist Language in NIH ’s Mission Statement

To the Editor As a physician with a disability, I read with interest the Viewpoint “Revising NIH’s Mission Statement to Remove Ableist Language.” I always wanted to be a physician, but had a spinal cord stroke in 1972 at age 17. Initially, I was unable to walk or stand. I learned to walk again, although always with some difficulty. Despite that difficulty, I stuck with my go al, finished high school, graduated from college and medical school, completed an internal medicine residency, and practiced for 6 years as an internist. I then completed an infectious diseases fellowship and went into practice as an infectious diseases physician. Fifteen years ago, my legs started to deteriorate further, and eventually I started using a power chair to get around at work.
Source: JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research