Celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities by taking part in upcoming events

This event, led by Nish Laszczuk, will look closely at AttentionMD — a unique program designed to support medical residents with ADHD, bridging the gap between neurodivergent needs and the demands of medical training. Drawing from lived experience and clinical expertise, this program brings a compassionate, innovative lens to wellness in medical education, advocating for inclusive systems that empower all learners to thrive. 

This session will explore how AttentionMD is reshaping conversations around accessibility, mental health and neurodiversity in healthcare. Whether you're a learner, educator, or ally, you’ll leave inspired by the possibilities of a more inclusive future in medicine. 

Speaker bio

Nish Laszczuk

Nish Laszczuk is a Resident Wellness Counsellor in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC, and is a Registered Social Worker with the BC College of Social Workers as well as the Ontario College of Social Workers. She specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as well as training in Mindfulness, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and uses a trauma informed lens. She will be hosting this session and sharing insights from the initiative, AttentionMD. 

Event details 

• Date: Tuesday, December 2
• Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
• Format: Virtual via zoom

Register now for AttentionMD

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Event #2

Academic Ableism and its Alternatives 

View ASL transcript for event description. 

In this workshop led by Dr. Jay Dolmage, we will collaborate to address the ableist attitudes, policies, and practices that are built into higher education. We will also interrogate the minimal and temporary means we have been given to address inequities, and the cost such an approach has for disabled students and faculty. We will then work together to share and develop strategies and tools for a much more accessible classroom and campus. 

Speaker bio

Dr. Jay Dolmage

Dr. Jay Dolmage is a UBC alumnus and Professor and Head of the Department of English, University of Waterloo. He is a leading scholar in disability studies whose work brings together rhetoric, writing, critical pedagogy, and disability justice. He is the author of several influential books, including Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education, which is available in open access online. As the Founding Editor of the Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, Jay continues to advance conversations about access, equity, and justice in education and beyond.

Event Details

• Date: Thursday, December 4  
• Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm (with optional discussion open until 12:30pm)
• Format: Virtual via Zoom 

The presentation will be 40 minutes, with 20 minutes of discussion. Please join us in a way that makes you feel comfortable: camera on or off, with your own name or an anonymous name. 

Optional breakout rooms will be open for 30 minutes after the event for those who wish to continue the discussion. 

Register now for  Academic Ableism

Event accessibility 

• CART (real-time captioning) and ASL will be provided for each event.
• Presentation materials will be provided in advance, if possible.
• This event will be recorded – the recording and transcript will be available for those who have registered. 

Let us know how we can support your access needs by contacting the event’s Access Coordinator, Stephen Pannuto, by email (Stephen.pannuto@ubc.ca) or by phone: 604-822-2180.  

Please contact workplace.accessibility@ubc.ca if you have difficulties registering for either event. 

More info  

For more ways to celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities, view additional resources, below:

• Take the Disability at Work 101 course
• Access the Workplace Accessibility & Inclusion Action Research (AIAR) Toolkit
  • Join an information session for an overview of the AIAR Toolkit and an opportunity to ask questions — December 2 at 9:30am–10:30 am. 

For more accessibility-related news, please visit Accessibility News.