Ethnographic Films
 
Barriers for Entry
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Description

Duration: 9:56

The Disability Rights Movement has changed society in the last 50 years. Doctors and med students share their experience of working within the medical profession with their disabilities. Connor Campbell: I am three years into completing my Neuroscience degree, along with minors in Chemistry and Film. We decided to focus on physicians with disabilities to emphasize how these doctors can better relate to their patients, even though they face an array of obstacles during medical training. Although the scope of accommodations for people with disabilities is growing, there are still significant barriers discouraging potentially amazing physicians from pursuing the field. Through engaging in conversations with healthcare workers from diverse disability backgrounds, we were shocked to realize how the unrealistic culture of perfection within medicine discourages inclusivity and holistic patient treatment. Nevertheless, each interviewee revealed how choosing to embrace flaws and considering the strengths of disability can contribute to more intimate connections, as they can easily empathize with the patient's perspective. The opportunity to participate in ethnographic filmmaking has afforded new insights into how history can shape narratives from multiple perspectives and push policies in more equitable directions. Ritika Samant: I’m a rising senior, majoring in Neuroscience and also fast tracking a Master's in Public Health. In the summer of 2021, I shadowed a pediatrician. To listen to a child’s heartbeat, she used an electronic stethoscope which amplified the sound. A member of the hard of hearing community, Dr. Snehal Khatri opened my eyes to the world of doctors with disabilities and served as the main inspiration for this film and the main reason why the films this year have closed captioning. My hope is that this film breaks down the illusion of perfection in medicine. Much of the beauty of medicine lies in the deeply human aspect of it: We are all perfectly imperfect, and our ability to fall sick and die reflects that. Additionally, at the end of the day, medicine is more than just helping people. It's about really caring for people--loving people where they're at--and that's only possible when we make sure that all people can participate in it.

Publication Date

2022

Publisher

UAB Ethnographic Filmmaking

City

Birmingham, AL

Disciplines

Film and Media Studies | Film Production

Production Notes

Produced as part of the UAB Ethnographic Filmmaking class of 2022. All 2022 Ethnographic Films can be found on Vimeo here.

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Barriers for Entry

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