euroscience Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Thought you guys would be interested in this, a blind man graduated from med school: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7318398/ns/health-health_care/t/blind-medical-student-earns-md/#.TsvlBpQgfw3 Thoughts? I personally have mixed feelings about it.. I guess it depends on what specialty he goes into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 There are not many specialties I can think of, psychiatry being one. Maybe physiatry? Occupational medicine? I don't know. Being legally blind doesn't mean someone cannot see at all. Did they mention how blind he is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBP Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Probably be a really good radiologist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euroscience Posted November 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Probably be a really good radiologist. lol for sure, he'd be outta sight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clever Posted November 22, 2011 Report Share Posted November 22, 2011 Truly inspirational. Gives me hope that I will be able to overcome my blindness and become a doctor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamIDP Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I'm just confused.. he was born with sight but lost his sight as he aged, However my optometrist said you can never lose your sight regardless of how high your prescription is...so how is this possible? anyone care to explain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FacelessMage Posted November 23, 2011 Report Share Posted November 23, 2011 I'm just confused.. he was born with sight but lost his sight as he aged, However my optometrist said you can never lose your sight regardless of how high your prescription is...so how is this possible? anyone care to explain? You can still have degeneration of the retina, such as retinitis pigmentosa. It wouldn't occur as a result of myopia/hypermyopia, which is probably what you're thinking of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Could be Stargardt's Disease (Fundus Flavimaculatus), aka juvenile macular degeneration. My brother's former girlfriend has it and started going blind at 12, but it can start in early adulthood. Her night vision at that point did not seem to be affected, because she could recognise people in a crowd in low-light conditions (at 16). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 There are not many specialties I can think of, psychiatry being one. Maybe physiatry? Occupational medicine? I don't know.Being legally blind doesn't mean someone cannot see at all. Did they mention how blind he is? Public health is about the only thing that comes to mind, and I don't see how you could ever perform an adequate physical exam without seeing the patient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polysicks Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 I'm surprised people are so skeptical. The scenario is a bit different, but blind physicians have practiced in Canada. The autobiography of Jane Poulson, a Canadian physician who lost her sight due to diabetic neuropathy, is inspirational, and an enjoyable read. http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Will-Not-See-You/dp/2895072434 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 I'm surprised people are so skeptical. The scenario is a bit different, but blind physicians have practiced in Canada. The autobiography of Jane Poulson, a Canadian physician who lost her sight due to diabetic neuropathy, is inspirational, and an enjoyable read. http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Will-Not-See-You/dp/2895072434 Aaaah! Dr. Poulson. A very courageous woman and a great inspiration. I did not even know about this book. Canada lost a great physician when she passed away from cancer. Everybody loved her. I personally liked that, like many genuine, frank people she swore like a sailor when frustrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anon1234 Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Probably be a really good radiologist. lol for sure, he'd be outta sight the fact that the person you are making fun of may never see or hear of these posts does not make them ok, in ANY way, shape or form. this is called bullying, whether the person is present and knows about this or not. with all due respect to the both of you, i think you should apologize for the snide and rude comments here. i found this highly offensive. people with disabilities are no less than the rest of humanity, in fact in many ways are way better because they grow up hearing bullies like you guys non-stop and have very strong personalities and immense patience as a result, the type non-disabled people couldn't build in 50 years. you think you know? try living blindfolded for a day, get called a freak show all day in a world designed and built for people different from you, still be a straight A student and then talk. so what if he cannot be a radiologist? is that all there is in medicine? why can't he be an excellent psychiatrist and use his exceptional listening skills? so what if he cannot see, at least he will probably relate more to other disabled people who are his patients more than people like you guys who have no inkling as to how sensitive such matters are, or you wouldn't make such rude comments. medicine is a broad enough field that people with many capabilities have room to grow within it. we don't all have to be anatomically perfect, and if that is all you have to bully someone who cannot even see and has accomplished more than most people who can, if the only thing you have to feel superior is the fact that your eyes are "normal" and his are not, then shame on you. it is very sad to see people like you guys joking about this, i wonder how you would treat fellow med students with disabilities if you knew any. how would you guys feel if you lost your sight and someone made a comment like this? it's completely possible, nothing in life is guaranteed you know. or if you had a sibling, parent or child who was blind? imagine how hurtful this would be to you. what were you trying to imply, that blind people should "stay in their place" and not try to think outside the box, because after all "they can't be radiologists or surgeons". well yeah they can't, so what? i am not blind and don't know anyone who is, but i feel very strongly about this and joke or not, i feel like this was unnecessarily sarcastic and immature. shows how lowly you think of this exceptional person and his amazing achievements. that despite EVERYTHING he has done, "he still can't be a radiologist - ha ha ha - so funny", as if everything is a waste if you can't do that. i am sure this person is an amazing human being and is NO LESS of a doctor due to his blindness. he is an inspiration to me and many others. i hope there are many, many more like him in the future in medicine, and fewer bullies such as you two. kindly refrain from sharing your unnecessary opinions in the future about doctors with disabilities because there may be people with disabilities, some blind kid who loves how much his doctor helps him and wants to be like that, looking up threads such as this to get some hope for their dreams and will come across mean comments like this and get further beat down than they probably already are, because you two represent an entire sub-culture in medicine, which treats disabled people as patients and you think you're noble because of it, but when they become your equals or kick your butts by being better doctors, you have a problem with it; because it was not their "place". you are no one to comment on his abilities or lack thereof, the people who licenced him are not idiots. i usually never rant on forums, but i felt i owed it to anyone who might come here looking for inspiration to stand up to you two. not cool guys, not cool. you should be celebrating the fact that it is possible for people like this to make it and what an accomplishment this is. he's not inferior to you, i bet that in many ways, he is light years ahead of you guys, radiologist or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 the fact that the person you are making fun of may never see or hear of these posts does not make them ok, in ANY way, shape or form. this is called bullying, whether the person is present and knows about this or not. with all due respect to the both of you, i think you should apologize for the snide and rude comments here. i found this highly offensive. people with disabilities are no less than the rest of humanity, in fact in many ways are way better because they grow up hearing bullies like you guys non-stop and have very strong personalities and immense patience as a result, the type non-disabled people couldn't build in 50 years. you think you know? try living blindfolded for a day, get called a freak show all day in a world designed and built for people different from you, still be a straight A student and then talk. so what if he cannot be a radiologist? is that all there is in medicine? why can't he be an excellent psychiatrist and use his exceptional listening skills? so what if he cannot see, at least he will probably relate more to other disabled people who are his patients more than people like you guys who have no inkling as to how sensitive such matters are, or you wouldn't make such rude comments. medicine is a broad enough field that people with many capabilities have room to grow within it. we don't all have to be anatomically perfect, and if that is all you have to bully someone who cannot even see and has accomplished more than most people who can, if the only thing you have to feel superior is the fact that your eyes are "normal" and his are not, then shame on you. it is very sad to see people like you guys joking about this, i wonder how you would treat fellow med students with disabilities if you knew any. how would you guys feel if you lost your sight and someone made a comment like this? it's completely possible, nothing in life is guaranteed you know. or if you had a sibling, parent or child who was blind? imagine how hurtful this would be to you. what were you trying to imply, that blind people should "stay in their place" and not try to think outside the box, because after all "they can't be radiologists or surgeons". well yeah they can't, so what? i am not blind and don't know anyone who is, but i feel very strongly about this and joke or not, i feel like this was unnecessarily sarcastic and immature. shows how lowly you think of this exceptional person and his amazing achievements. that despite EVERYTHING he has done, "he still can't be a radiologist - ha ha ha - so funny", as if everything is a waste if you can't do that. i am sure this person is an amazing human being and is NO LESS of a doctor due to his blindness. he is an inspiration to me and many others. i hope there are many, many more like him in the future in medicine, and fewer bullies such as you two. kindly refrain from sharing your unnecessary opinions in the future about doctors with disabilities because there may be people with disabilities, some blind kid who loves how much his doctor helps him and wants to be like that, looking up threads such as this to get some hope for their dreams and will come across mean comments like this and get further beat down than they probably already are, because you two represent an entire sub-culture in medicine, which treats disabled people as patients and you think you're noble because of it, but when they become your equals or kick your butts by being better doctors, you have a problem with it; because it was not their "place". you are no one to comment on his abilities or lack thereof, the people who licenced him are not idiots. i usually never rant on forums, but i felt i owed it to anyone who might come here looking for inspiration to stand up to you two. not cool guys, not cool. you should be celebrating the fact that it is possible for people like this to make it and what an accomplishment this is. he's not inferior to you, i bet that in many ways, he is light years ahead of you guys, radiologist or not. A stranger to dark humour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Just be aware that there are many members here with disabilities who are already in med schools or premeds, and sensitivity is required here andin your future practice. I don't believe dark humour is appropriate in this situation. PEACE & GOODWILL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Just be aware that there are many members here with disabilities who are already in med schools or premeds, and sensitivity is required here andin your future practice. I don't believe dark humour is appropriate in this situation. PEACE & GOODWILL. Understood. I must add that most, if not all the handicapable people I know are pretty thick skin and don't like being treated like their condition is some huge, dark secret that cannot be talked about. I know a few who will even crack handicapped jokes, wether about their own or some other type. Some of my physician friend also told me some of the jokes mentioned away from prying ears, and let me tell you... My jaw dropped more than once. I was explained that dark humour is a defense mechanism developed in order to cope in dealing with all the suffering healthcare workers have to deal with on a daily basis. It is a healthy way to ease some of the tension and prevents them from crying their heart out or burning out; neither of which are helpful to patients. Let me paraphrase a joke I heard from a blind comedian (sorry, but I don't remember his name): People ask me why I am blind and don't wear shades. I usually answer that I don't see [sic] any deaf people wearing headphones! So if anyone here is challenged and is truly offended by the "radiology" jokes, please let us know. Only if you are challenged or actually read this to a blind person and quoting him / her. Handicapable people are not as thin-skinned as you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 I understand Dino that no ill will was intended. Life is a learning process for us all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dino Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 I understand Dino that no ill will was intended. Life is a learning process for us all. Now. If you think that's bad, you should hear some of the things discussed in the glorious field of law enforcement. My jaw is now firmly in place and is not likely to drop in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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