We’re kicking off a new season of NBM Talks! In this episode, Audrey Yap and Janet Rodriguez (Accessibility Theme Co-Leads for the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum) discuss their collaboration with community partners to promote a more inclusive, social model of disability within medical education.

They explore the structural barriers rooted in historical models of medicine and elaborate on their goal to integrate the principles of disability justice into the MD curriculum, challenge ableism, and foster lifelong learning among future physicians.

Audrey Yap is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Toronto. She works as a physiatrist at Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital’s Neurorehabilitation Program. For over 10 years as a teacher of accessibility content for MD learners, she has partnered with lived experience experts and patient partners. As a physician, Audrey promotes a holistic approach to patient care that acknowledges how each person has their own unique set of life experiences that influence care needs.

Janet Rodriguez is a health mentor with the Centre for Advancing Collaborative Healthcare and Education and co-leads the “Accessibility for All” project, a social justice initiative based at the St. Michael’s Hospital Family Health Team. Previously, she co-chaired the Disability Justice Working Group at the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

Listen to this episode of NBM Talks on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.