Dr. Ludwig, a biomedical researcher, educator, and lifelong polo player, sustained a life changing spinal cord injury in 2021 while she was interviewing for a faculty role at the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM). Dr. Ludwig was hired for the position and now champions disability inclusion in the workplace and medicine.
For this “Conversations” story for Able News, she was interviewed by Katherine Magnoli, a 41-year-old woman born with spina bifida who has served as an advocate and author of the children’s book series, “The Adventures of Katgirl.”
Dr. Ludwig, I have read your biography and wanted to ask about your work regarding disability etiquette training for students in the medical field. Could you let us know more?
There are two ways to approach disability. The medical model which sees disability as an individual’s problem, a pathology needing a cure or treatment (e.g., a wheelchair user can’t climb stairs because they can’t walk). The Social Model argues disability is created by society’s barriers (attitudes, inaccessible environments), viewing impairment as a neutral human difference (e.g., a wheelchair user can’t enter building due to lack of ramp, which also blocks strollers). While the medical model focuses on fixing the person, the social model aims to change society to remove barriers and promote inclusion for all.
We have built our curricula using the social model to train our students to see people with disabilities (PWD) as a whole person and not just a disability. To do this, we use a three-pronged approach: representation, training, and inclusive patient examples. Advocacy is strongly encouraged and promoted at our institution with our community groups. These groups have worked to improve the physical accessibility of our buildings and normalize medical professionals with disabilities. As a person with a visible disability, I am a constant reminder of the different types of patients and people our students will interact with.
How receptive are students to this curriculum?
In general these sessions and trainings have been very well received. We have presented approaches at multiple international conferences and received positive feedback. Our student community group is very active and participates in many extra- and co-curricular activities related to disability awareness. More importantly though, several people (students, faculty, and staff) have shared personal stories regarding how our holistic approach to medical care for PWD has helped them in both their personal and professional lives.
Another part of your bio that stood out to me is your participation in adaptive sports. I have participated in several and love the experience! Could you discuss what inspired you to get involved and which sport you enjoy the most?
Before my accident I was a professional polo player and was very active in trail running. I was constantly moving and was uncomfortable sitting still for long periods of time. When I was first paralyzed and dealing with the emotional consequences, I was often asked what activities I did to relax and un-wind. My response was that I would go for a hike or run with my dog and get away from everything. Given my disabilities, these options were no longer available to me, which took a significant toll on my mental health. Eventually someone introduced me to a recumbent tricycle, which changed the course of my recovery. My husband was able to modify a trike with off-road wheels, shocks, and a motor so I was able to go ‘mountain biking’ with my husband. We got a trailer so my dog can join and I am able to feel the wind in my face again. The freedom that I feel on my trike with my dog running next to me gave me hope that I would be able to find ways to live my life the way I wanted and to not have to compromise or give up the things I loved.
With all the work you do in the field of disability etiquette training and adaptive sports, what message do you hope to send?
Acceptance and adaptation!!!! Acceptance doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck. We often associate acceptance with giving up or liking a situation, however that is not true. Accepting something doesn’t mean you have to like it, approve of it, or even want it; it means acknowledging reality as it is to stop fighting it, reduce suffering, and free up energy to respond wisely or create change. For a long time, I fought my paralysis and saw myself as something that needed to be fixed (again, the medical model of disability). My life and time were consumed with therapy, treatments, and doctors’ appointments because I could not accept my limitations. Adaptive sports, an amazing support system, an understanding job, and lots of therapy have helped me accept my limitations. I still do not like them, and wish they weren’t there, but they are, and I cannot change that. What I can do is accept my limitations and figure out ways to accommodate them so I can do the things I love and make me happy.