Revealing Disability: The Impact of Authenticity in Graduate School, Medical School, Clinical Training
and Faculty Searches

Ram Rao, MD PhD

Meeting Description:

During this didactic session, Ram will share his personal journey of navigating medical training and securing a faculty position as an individual with a disability/chronic medical illness. He will discuss the professional and personal challenges he faced and the strategies he used to address ableism throughout his training. Importantly, Dr. Rao will also highlight the reactions he received when disclosing his disability/chronic medical illness during his faculty applications and research presentations. While it’s easy to say, “it all worked out,” there are tangible ways to improve the experience for the next generation of scientific and medical trainees with disabilities. Hopefully, we brainstorm and develop these strategies throughout this session.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Ram Rao, MD PhD, is an Instructor in Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University. He earned his MD and PhD at the University of Michigan, completed his Pediatrics residency at UCLA, and recently graduated from Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Stanford University. Ram’s scientific training spans over a decade of published research in the fields of vascularized bone tissue engineering, biomineralization, gene therapy, and spectral ultrasound. His career goal is to combine his clinical interest in pediatric sarcomas with his research expertise in tissue engineering and biomaterials to engineer cures for incurable pediatric cancers.
Ram was diagnosed with Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) at age 20 while completing his undergraduate studies. This diagnosis and his medical journey have profoundly influenced his perspectives in both science and medicine. He defines himself as both a patient and a doctor and is incredibly proud to be an advocate in advancing diversity and wellbeing in academia.

Meeting Agenda: