Medical Ableism

This presentation is intended for clinicians, health system leaders, and decision-makers working across the health care sector. It examines the medical model of disability as the dominant framework shaping practice, policy, and decision-making, and explores its historical and structural impacts on patients, providers, and health systems. The session then introduces the social model of disability, highlighting how person-centred, rights-based approaches can support more equitable care while enhancing professional sustainability, job satisfaction, and meaning in health care work.