Medical students at Harvard Medical School who live with non‑apparent (or “invisible”) disabilities are creating real change in how care is delivered. Students who experience conditions like chronic illness, mental health challenges, or learning differences are helping to reshape medical education, bringing in empathy, insight, and advocacy grounded in lived experience. Their voices are pushing HMS to build a more inclusive curriculum, enhance student support services, and ensure that disability is recognized not just in theory, but in practice.

By integrating disability awareness across multiple courses and establishing peer support networks, HMS is not only helping students succeed, but improving care for all patients. When future physicians understand the full spectrum of disability, medicine becomes more compassionate and responsive. This is more than an academic shift, it’s a movement toward true equity in health.