Gateways guidance: 7.2 Course information and advertisement

The first direct responsibility that a medical school has in the journey of a disabled applicant is in the preparation of information about the course. This may be accompanied by direct outreach activities.

In all its information, a medical school should make clear that applications from disabled people will be welcomed. Publicity material should be reviewed to check that it contains positive stories and images of disabled students. Where disabled people have succeeded in gaining a place or a prize or graduating, these examples should appear in the literature.

It is illegal to suggest that the success of a person’s application may depend on their not having an impairment or a particular health condition. However, the competence standards of the course should be made clear and easily available, so that all applicants can judge whether they are able to reach them as long as reasonable adjustments are provided.