Dr. Sophie WestRoyal College of Radiologists
In a blog for the U.K. Royal College of Radiologists, Dr. Sophie West has described how she has managed a disability throughout her radiology career and outlined the need to end stigma against radiologists with disabilities.
West, a consultant radiologist for East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust, West has a congenital hip condition and a rare metabolic disorder. She wrote that while medical professionals can still have a fulfilling career even with a disability, they must be realistic about the choices they make, and credited the supportive network she had during her radiology training.
She also acknowledged that there remain many barriers for radiologists with disabilities to overcome and called for the following actions in the specialty:
- Direct conversations and disability-specific career guidance from medical school to specialty training.
- Medical school, foundation, and specialty training tailored to those with a disability, with any extra time needed not seen as a negative.
- Awareness at the senior level that doctors with a disability are an asset and the establishment of positive changes in department culture, including business planning practices to accommodate these.
The full blog can be read here.
