From GMA to MD

RJ Roggeveen spent two days making sure the email he received from Good Morning America (GMA) in early December was legitimate. 

The second-year medical student and full-time wheelchair user—Dalhousie Medicine’s first—couldn't quite fathom that the number one ranked American broadcasted morning show and website was interested in sharing his story. 

“I didn’t tell anyone at first and was looking up links and profiles, and when I felt confident enough that it was real, I told my partner and family,” he recalls. “I was unsure whether I should do it because representing your school is important, and I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that role or the school’s view.”

With support from his family and the Faculty of Medicine, he decided to move forward with the interview.  

Posted on GMA’s YouTube channel on Dec. 16, 2024, it has already been viewed hundreds of times. It was also shared by ABC news the same day.

RJ, who lost significant use of his legs after a fall in 2021, has built a following of 25 thousand on his Instagram account @rj_adapted. What began as comedic videos about poor accessibility, has grown into the sharing of resources and motivation for others with disabilities. 

“When people began to reach out it became clear that sharing my experiences was helping others,” says RJ. “When I got into medical school, I wanted to show that it’s possible to succeed, even if you haven’t seen someone like yourself in the field.”

Setback to success

RJ, who is part of the first cohort of students admitted to medical school under the Indigenous Admissions Pathway, is Metis from Kelowna, BC. With a dream of a career in medicine, he enrolled in the Dalhousie Medical Sciences program for his undergraduate training. The first in his family to attend university, he arrived in Halifax and quickly fell in love with the city. 

When his injury required a switch to part-time studies, RJ became ineligible for medical school and shifted focus to a Bachelor of Science in Recreational Therapy, graduating with honours in June 2023.

During the pandemic, changes to medical school admissions criteria removed the full-time studies requirement, rekindling RJ’s dream, and suddenly, medical school was back on the table. 

“After my injury, when I lost my ability to walk, I wasn’t sure if I could still do it,” recalls RJ. “I didn’t know if Dal had ever had a medical student in a wheelchair, but the Indigenous Health and Medicine program, where I worked as a student assistant, encouraged me to apply, and that support made a big difference.”

RJ was further encouraged by Dean Dr. David Anderson, who, once he was accepted, was one of the first people in the Faculty of Medicine to reassure him that he’d receive the support he needed to be successful—support that RJ says, has remained consistent since he began his studies.

“The Faculty of Medicine is committed to fostering an environment where diversity, inclusion, and accessibility are celebrated,” says Dr. Anderson. “We are fortunate to have students like RJ, whose leadership and perseverance inspire classmates, staff and faculty, and beyond. RJ's journey reminds us that embracing diverse perspectives and breaking down barriers enriches our profession and strengthens our collective ability to care for all those in our communities.”

Most recently, support for RJ has come in the form of funding for a new standing wheelchair that allows him to participate more readily no matter the situational requirements. 

“Once I was accepted to medical school, my first Google search was doctors in wheelchairs because I needed to see if this was possible,” says RJ. “I found that in the U.S., especially at the University of Michigan, they’ve adapted programs for doctors in wheelchairs and some surgeons there use standing power wheelchairs.” 

RJ collaborated with his healthcare team and his research preceptor and mentor to determine if a specialized wheelchair could improve his health and allow for further participation in the operating room. Once confirmed, he began navigating the daunting $47,000 cost. He launched a successful sticker fundraiser, raising $5,000 by selling anatomy-themed stickers he designed and created, and worked with several organizations to raise the funds he needed. 

Powered by possibilities 

Since starting medical school in 2023, RJ has found accessibility in the built environment to be the most significant challenge. To ensure his training went smoothly, he worked closely with faculty and staff, visiting classrooms and labs in advance to identify necessary adjustments. He recalls encountering an issue with table height in the anatomy lab, where staff promptly approached him to discuss how the space could be made more accessible.

“They asked me how low the table needed to be,” he says. “I told them it needed to be low enough for me to see what’s on the table and look over the cadaver. They marked it with a Sharpie, and the next week, they cut it down. When I came back, it was perfect.”

And while RJ says everyone has been incredibly supportive and open to making accessibility changes, his new chair means he doesn’t need to worry about advance visits, meetings, and adjustment delays, allowing him more time to focus on his training and experiences.

“If something’s higher up, I can see it. If I need to stand, I can do that. It’s not about playing catch-up anymore. It lets me be right there with my classmates, and it saves a lot of time—not just for me, but for others involved in organizing things.”

Breaking barriers and inspiring change

Nearly 150 Instagram posts since announcing his acceptance to medical school, RJ is regularly contacted by pre-med students who are in wheelchairs or have other disabilities who are curious about the medical school process. Always open to chat and offer advice, he has connected directly by phone or message to nearly two dozen of these individuals. 

But telling his story on Instagram, or offline, is a whole lot different than telling it to the folks at GMA and in turn, the millions of people who will see it shared on their platforms. He admits he was nervous but was excited for the opportunity to reach more people who might be facing a disability and wanting to pursue medical school, healthcare, or university.

“I hope people see that there are countless ways to adapt, and that creativity is endless,” says RJ. “People with disabilities can do anything. The biggest barriers are often people’s perceptions, not our abilities.”

RJ is also hoping people see the value of having individuals with lived experiences of disability in the medical and healthcare fields. While more likely to access healthcare, people with disabilities are the least represented in it, and representation matters.

“People should be able to see themselves in their care providers. I’ve had people reach out saying they’d love to have me as their doctor because they feel I’d understand. There’s so much value in having us in these spaces.”

And as for what medical field RJ sees himself in following training, he says it’s too soon to tell but plans on exploring his options as much as he can during medical school, which is now much easier with the help of his standing wheelchair. 

RJ has come a long way since 2021 and is proof that any barrier can be overcome with creativity and support. And as he’s learned, you never know who might hear your story, and the impact it can have on someone striving to overcome their own barriers.