Information for Medical Students
Information for Medical Students Heading link
Due to the complex and unique nature of the medical school curriculum, DRC’s process for approving and implementing accommodations in UIC’s College of Medicine varies slightly from the process in most other colleges. This page outlines the standards, processes, and practical approaches that the DRC uses to best support our future students with disabilities.
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Technical Standards
UIC COM Functional and Behavioral Standards (Technical Standards) – 2023
These competency-based standards outline “the full range of capabilities needed to function effectively as a medical student and meet all graduation requirements.” These capabilities must be demonstrated with or without accommodations, meaning that students who anticipate access barriers should engage the DRC for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access.
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Guiding Principles
The following principles guide the accommodations process:
- Accommodations are discussed with COM administrators anonymously whenever possible
- Students are aware of where they are in the process
- Students are always aware of who has any information about their request and/or Letter of Accommodation (LOA)
- Students are empowered to discuss their own accommodations for the sake of implementation, but may always seek support from Disability Resource Center
- Letters of Accommodation are not final until they are in the official DRC letterhead – until accommodations are final, all draft language is handled outside of this letterhead to avoid confusion
- Medical documentation is housed in the Disability Resource Center, and specific information pertaining to diagnosis and treatment remain confidential
- Students are referred to DRC when they disclose disability status to any COM employee, ensuring that there is no pressure to share diagnostic or medical details.
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Process
The process for requesting, approving, sharing, and ultimately implementing accommodations in the UIC College of Medicine is illustrated in the following chart.
NOTE: the initial registration and intake process is the same for all UIC students. College of Medicine students may start the process at any time by following the standard DRC Registration Process.
UIC College of Medicine Process
UIC College of Medicine Process (text only)
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Ideal Timeline
Students may request accommodations and/or request amendment to existing accommodations at any time. However, per UIC’s Student Accommodations Policy, accommodations only move forward from the college’s receipt of a student’s Letter of Accommodation.
Medical students with disabilities must also consider the task of applying for accommodations for the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 exams. These accommodations must be requested directly via the NBME. This process is time consuming and should be proactively planned for when possible.
In ideal circumstances, the timeline linked below provides ample time for processing, communication, and troubleshooting around accommodations: