RCPD supports students in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Human Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine and College of Nursing. Because these programs include traditional academic elements as well as labs, clinical rotations, and practical tests, each student registering with RCPD will have an in-depth interactive process with a specialist to determine the unique barriers and accommodations necessary for their equitable access.
Students in clinical medical programs will begin the registration process the same way all students do. Visit our Register with Accommodations page and follow the three-step process which includes: submitting an AccessMSU application, submitting documentation of their condition, and meeting with an RCPD Access Specialist.
*If you do not have documentation of your condition, do not let that stop you from submitting an AccessMSU application. If you do not have documentation to share, please contact us. There may be temporary measures that can be implemented while you work on getting documentation, and our office may even be able to assist you with getting connected to a provider. For more detailed information about using AccessMSU, check out our AccessMSU resource page.
A note: Your accommodations are kept confidential, so residencies and future employers will not see whether you have a record of accommodations at MSU, including for practical exams and clinical placements. Of course, there are instances where students gain employment at a previous rotation/residency sites, and in that case, the employer may already know about accommodations. Legally, this information cannot be used when determining eligibility for employment.
An Accommodation Letter primarily lists a student’s accommodations for classroom, homework, assistive technology, and tests.
An Accommodation Letter Addendum is used for students who need accommodations in clinical rotations, field placements, or other practical settings that don’t fit well on our general Accommodation Letter form. See our Student Accommodations page for details on the Addendum process.
Please see your clinical program accordion below for information about sending your Accommodation Letter/Addendum to the appropriate contact.
Once you have completed your Needs Assessment, you must share your accommodations with your college via AccessMSU. For more detailed information about using AccessMSU, check out our AccessMSU resource page.
Clinical Accommodations (Addendum): Your Community Assistant Dean and Student Programs Administrator who can help you get it to your clerkship and rotation course directors
PCSE Accommodations
RCPD writes the accommodations for PCSE, which may require an addendum process. You should utilize accommodations you would need in a real clinical setting.
CNSE Accommodations
RCPD writes the accommodations for CSNE, but can only approve accommodations allowed by the USMLE.
STEP Exams Accommodations
*Test reports do not distinguish whether a test taker used accommodations or not.
Your RCPD specialist is available to help you prepare your application for boards testing. Visit the USMLE website to see the USMLE process.
Read this guide created by Docs with Disabilities for guidance on how to create a strong accommodation application.
RCPD writes the accommodations for PCSE, which may require an addendum process. You should utilize accommodations you would need in a real clinical setting.
Once you have completed your Needs Assessment, you must share your accommodations with your college via AccessMSU. For more detailed information about using AccessMSU, check out our AccessMSU resource page.
OSCE Accommodations
RCPD writes the accommodations for OCSE, which may require an addendum process. You should utilize accommodations you would need in a real clinical setting.
COMAT Accommodations
RCPD writes the accommodations for COMAT. Students must alert COM of testing accommodations 7 days prior to the COMAT.
Boards Testing Accommodations
*Test reports do not distinguish whether a test taker used accommodations or not.
Your RCPD specialist is available to help you prepare your application for boards testing.
Read this guide created by Docs with Disabilities for guidance on how to create a strong accommodation application. It was written for the USMLE process, but the guidance on writing personal statements is applicable across tests.
Once you have completed your Needs Assessment, you must share your accommodations with your college via AccessMSU. For more detailed information about using AccessMSU, check out our AccessMSU resource page.
Resources
Please reach out to the Office of Student Affairs for additional support.
NCLEX Accommodations
*Test reports do not distinguish whether a test taker used accommodations or not.
Your RCPD specialist is available to help you prepare your application for boards testing.
Accommodations are handled by state Nursing Regulatory Bodies. Michigan’s guidance can be found on their website.
Once you have completed your Needs Assessment, you must share your accommodations with your college via AccessMSU. For more detailed information about using AccessMSU, check out our AccessMSU resource page.
Accommodation Letters and Addendums should be sent to clerkship moderators 14 days before the start of the clerkship rotation to ensure timely implementation of all accommodations. Since CVM rotations are 3-5 weeks in length, you should be sending your accommodation letter/addendum to your next rotation around the start time of your current rotation.
NAVLE Accommodations
*Test reports do not distinguish whether a test taker used accommodations or not.
Your RCPD specialist is available to help you prepare your application for boards testing.
Visit the NAVLE website to see the NAVLE accommodations request process.
The Docs with Disabilities Initiative uses research, education, and sharing of stories to drive change in perceptions, disability policy, and procedures in health professions, biomedical and science education. Their aim is to build more inclusive educational environments for trainees with disabilities and increase representation of disabled clinicians and scientists in the biomedical workforce. We recommend the Docs with Disabilities Podcast!
USMLE Step Exam Accommodations Guide for guidance on how to create a strong accommodation application. It was written for the USMLE process, but the guidance on writing personal statements is applicable across tests.
Assisting Students with Crafting a Personal Statement Webinar presented by the Docs with Disabilities Initiative. The intended audience for this video is Disability Resource Professionals, such as RCPD specialists, but students should utilize it as well. It provides much of the same information as the guide above, in a video format.
Lisa Meeks MSU Presentation Fall 2023 In the fall of 2023, Dr. Lisa Meeks spoke with the MSU community about disability in medical education.
Spartan Alliance for Disability Inclusion and Equity (SADIE) is an organization hoping to advocate for students, patients, and providers with disabilities and chronic illnesses. It is through this that they hope to promote and empower patient autonomy, beneficence, and justice for individuals living with disabilities and chronic illness. They are an affiliated chapter of the national organization Medical Students with Disability and Chronic Illness (MSDCI).
RCPD writes the accommodations for CSNE, but can only approve accommodations allowed by the USMLE.
*Test reports do not distinguish whether a test taker used accommodations or not.
Your RCPD specialist is available to help you prepare your application for boards testing. Visit the USMLE website to see the USMLE process.
Read this guide created by Docs with Disabilities for guidance on how to create a strong accommodation application.