Opening Doors in Medicine

At Dalhousie’s Faculty of Medicine, the future of health care is being shaped by students who bring not only academic excellence but lived experience, resilience, and a deep understanding of what it means to navigate the world differently. Now, a new initiative is making sure those students don’t have to do it alone.

The Accessibility & Accommodations Fund, launched with a goal of $250,000, is designed to support medical students with disabilities by helping cover the costs of essential tools and services—everything from assistive technology and adaptive equipment to environmental modifications and specialized supports. It’s a fund built on the belief that medical education should be accessible to all deserving students.

The Need Is Real—and Growing

A recent admissions survey revealed that 70 incoming medical students between 2012 and 2024 reported having a limitation that impacts daily life. Conditions ranged from mental health and mobility impairments to chronic illnesses and learning disabilities. Yet not all these students seek accommodations—some due to stigma, others due to cost.

Without support, students may delay their training, take on crushing debt, or leave medicine altogether. And when we lose them, we lose future physicians who deeply understand the patients who need them. We lose compassion, perspective, perspective, and representation.

Kendra’s Story

For Kendra Hebert, a fourth-year student at Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, the fund represents more than financial support—it’s a lifeline.

“To my knowledge, I am the first student at this site to navigate medical training with a disability like mine,” says Kendra, who uses a manual wheelchair, forearm crutches, and leg braces for mobility. “Medicine has been my lifelong goal.”

Growing up in Garnett Settlement, a small rural community outside Saint John, Kendra had no physicians in her family—but she had determination. After earning degrees in Biology and Psychology, and later a Master’s in Experimental Psychology, she was diagnosed with a rare, non-progressive disorder. With the right care team and mobility devices, she finally applied to medical school.

“One of the biggest barriers was my own fear that I wouldn’t be able to do it,” she shares. “But I had a lot of support—especially from my twin sister, Courtney, who shared my dream. She passed away four months before I began medical school, but her memory continues to drive me each day.”

Kendra’s transition into clinical rotations brought new challenges. She now relies primarily on her wheelchair, and while it improves her independence, accessibility in clinical environments remains a daily concern.

“Policies, rotations, and physical spaces are rarely designed with someone like me in mind,” she explains. “This creates a constant extra layer of planning and stress. My peers don’t face this invisible burden.”

Despite these challenges, Kendra’s disability has shaped her into a compassionate, empathetic future physician.

“During a pediatrics rotation, a young girl who used similar mobility aids lit up when she saw me. Her parents told me that seeing me in medicine showed her what was possible.”

A Fund That Says Yes

Medical school is expensive. Living with a disability is also expensive. Kendra’s story highlights the financial strain students face when insurance and grants don’t cover essential equipment.

“Last year, I needed a SmartDrive—a power assist device for my wheelchair. It wasn’t covered by insurance or grants. The Accessibility & Accommodations Fund didn’t exist yet, so I had to request direct financial assistance from the faculty. I was fortunate to receive it, but had such a fund existed from the beginning, it would have removed a great deal of stress.”

The Accessibility & Accommodations Fund is about saying yes—faster, and more often. It’s about ensuring students like Kendra have what they need to thrive. And it’s about recognizing that disability isn’t a deficit—it’s a perspective that enriches medicine and strengthens care.

Join the Movement

This fund is part of a broader commitment to equity, inclusion, and accessibility at Dalhousie. It’s a chance to build a future where every student can succeed, and every patient can see themselves reflected in their care.

“My hope is that by being visible, I can encourage others with disabilities to pursue medicine and remind the system that accessibility and inclusion strengthen the profession for everyone,” says Kendra.

Support the Accessibility & Accomodations Funds

Be the reason a student stays in school, scrubs into surgery, and becomes the physician they were meant to be. To learn more, contact medadvancement@dal.ca