Listen to this Article
RJ Roggeveen is a 25 year old Metis, originally from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Growing up, he enjoyed science and helping people which made him gravitate towards a career in medicine. At 18, he moved to Halifax, Nova Sctia to study Medical Sciences at Dalhousie University.
Mid way through his undergraduate degree, he sustained injuries from a roller-skating fall which was followed by a substantial loss of movement and coordination in his legs. At 22, he became a full-time wheelchair user and relearned skills to live independently. Going through his own health journey, he was able to see health care from the patient perspective. “I was surprised to learn that many healthcare professionals don’t know how to manage long-term disability or navigate the rehabilitation care systems. Because of this lack in knowledge, I fell through the cracks and saw a delay in access to these services,” RJ shared. From these experiences, he decided to attend medical school, with the goal of combining his lived and learned knowledge to improve patient care.”
RJ graduated from the Recreation Therapy program in 2023 and is now pursuing his medical degree.
Congratulations! What inspired you to pursue medicine, and how has the journey been so far?
I’m now in my 2nd year of medical school and the experience has been hard but rewarding. Medical education challenges you in every way, and adding my disability to the mix has not been easy. Being the 1st wheelchair user to attend my medical school meant that the program had not previously been adapted. Everyone is learning as we go. I am very impressed to see the changes that have been made, knowing that the next student in a wheelchair to enter the program will have fewer barriers than I did.
What are some common misconceptions about becoming a doctor as a wheelchair user?
The biggest misconceptions people have are that I am not physically capable and have limited career options in medicine. These misconceptions are created from misunderstandings of the doctor role, combined with disability being viewed as “less than”. I have learned how to adapt my clinical skills to the patients’ abilities, my abilities and the space we are in. In many ways, I feel more confident assessing patients in different settings because I have more than one way of performing certain skills. As for specialties I could pursue, there are doctors in wheelchairs who have done emergency medicine, surgery, trauma, pediatrics, physiatry, family medicine and more. Everyone in medicine is always adapting their skills and abilities—those of us in wheelchairs are just doing it more.
How has your disability given you unique professional and personal advantages that your peers may not have experienced?
My personal experience with disability has made me more comfortable interacting with patients and building rapport. When I am examining a patient, I know what it’s like to be on the other side—to feel vulnerable, concerned and confused about my health. It isn’t an experience I ever wanted to have, but if it had to happen, I’m glad that my experience is helping me become a better doctor.
When in the hospital on clinical rotations, I enjoy talking with patients who are new to their wheelchairs because there is an instant sense of ease in the discussion. Non-disabled people are uncomfortable talking about disability and the day-to-day experiences that come with it. It’s nice to be the person someone can talk to, who understands and doesn’t bring their own discomfort into the discussion.
How do your peers and educators interact with you, and do you handle those interactions?
I have had great experiences with my educators in clinical settings. There are initial questions or unease around not knowing how to teach a disabled student. That often goes away as they see me performing skills just like my classmates. When I am looking to adapt a skill, I do ask my educators’ input on the adaptation. This helps me ensure I am getting the same result and it brings them into the discussion.
What changes in the medical and educational fields would help more people with disabilities pursue careers in medicine?
I would like to see universities adapt their programs without needing the admission of a student with a disability. You can wait for a student to be admitted and then adapt the program or you can adapt the program and encourage those with disabilities to enter. The latter is how we make schools truly accessible, recognizing the value that disabled students bring to their future careers.
Has being a medical student given you a better understanding of navigating the healthcare system as a patient? If so, how?
Most definitely! Being a medical student has helped me understand my own health and the systemic barriers in place that impact patient care. I am able to see behind the scenes, where doctors are advocating for their patients in a stressed system with limited resources. As a patient, I sometimes felt that my healthcare team was not on my side. As a medical student, I now understand that I am part of my healthcare team and the barriers being put up are not intentional but are systemic.
You’re involved in adaptive sports like surfing. What motivated you to start?
The first year after my injury I tried as many parasports as I could. It started off as a way to meet other people with similar experiences. Sports later became an area where I could push myself and excel in outside of the barriers I encountered in my daily life. It was more rewarding to catch a wave surfing than to not fall transferring from my chair to the shower.
I first got involved in adaptive surfing through Life Rolls On, where, with a whole team of volunteers, I caught my first wave. Following this event, I found the High Fives Foundation, who has supported my recovery and surfing journey. Through Hive Fives I got my own WaveSki and learned how to independently do seated surfing. Surfing became one area where I could be outside of my wheelchair, in nature, and just have pure joy for the sport.
Your social media documentation of the challenges you faced when your apartment building’s elevator was out gained significant attention. How did that impact your advocacy approach?
In the summer of 2023, my building elevator was scheduled for replacement with only five days’ notice. Living on the third floor, I would sit on the steps and lift myself up each step just to get in and out of my apartment building.
I decided to document this experience on social media, showing the climb up and down the stairs each day. I ended up moving out of the building before the elevator was fixed. I knew the solution shouldn’t have to be to move out, but any legal process was going to take months and I needed an immediate solution. Documenting that journey changed my social media platform into an advocacy lens.
What message do you want to share about the importance of inclusivity?
Including disabled people in everyday education, jobs, and opportunities can only benefit our world. Disability is a natural part of life that many people will experience. In a world where people with disabilities are valued, our perspective and ability will shine through in every field. In medicine, we are most likely to interact with disabled patients, yet they are least likely to see themselves represented. That fact alone impacts patient health and wellbeing. I want to see a world where disability is different and valued.
