In the end, ableism is not just a problem for them. It distorts and limits our sense of self. It narrows our attention to what we notice, how we teach, who we train and, ultimately, what we value. Addressing ableism makes care more human, more curious and more just. Let us make room not out of charity, but out of a basic recognition that health, like language, takes many forms. Sometimes, to see what’s in front of us, we have to learn to observe the hands differently. Let us start by opening our minds and our hearts so that every patient, in every form, can be fully seen, fully heard and fully cared for.
Bharat Kumar, MD, MME, FACP, FAAAAI, RhMSUS, is the director of the rheumatology fellowship training program at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, and the physician editor of The Rheumatologist. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @BharatKumarMD.
