First wheelchair user admitted to Dal medical school catches attention of Good Morning America

RJ Roggeveen spent two days making sure the email he received from Good Morning America (GMA) in early December was legitimate. 

The second-year medical student and full-time wheelchair user — Dalhousie Medicine’s first — couldn't quite fathom that the top morning show in the United States was interested in sharing his story. 

“I didn’t tell anyone at first and was looking up links and profiles, and when I felt confident enough that it was real, I told my partner and family,” he recalls. “I was unsure whether I should do it because representing your school is important, and I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that role or the school’s view.”

With support from his family and the Faculty of Medicine, he decided to move forward with the interview, which ran Dec. 16.  

Watch the video: RJ Roggeveen on Good Morning America

RJ, who lost significant use of his legs after a fall in 2021, has built a following of 25,000 on Instagram. What began as comedic videos about poor accessibility has grown into the sharing of resources and motivation for others with disabilities. 

I wanted to show that it’s possible to succeed, even if you haven’t seen someone like yourself in the field

“When people began to reach out, it became clear that sharing my experiences was helping others,” says RJ. “When I got into medical school, I wanted to show that it’s possible to succeed, even if you haven’t seen someone like yourself in the field.”

From setback to success

RJ, who is part of the first cohort of students admitted to medical school under the Indigenous Admissions Pathway, is Metis from Kelowna, B.C. With a dream of a career in medicine, he enrolled in the Dalhousie Medical Sciences program for his undergraduate training. The first in his family to attend university, he arrived in Halifax and quickly fell in love with the city. 

When his injury required a switch to part-time studies, RJ became ineligible for medical school and shifted focus to a Bachelor of Science in Recreational Therapy, graduating with honours in June 2023.

During the pandemic, changes to medical-school admissions criteria removed the full-time studies requirement, rekindling RJ’s dream. Suddenly, medical school was back on the table. 

“The Faculty of Medicine is committed to fostering an environment where diversity, inclusion, and accessibility are celebrated,” says Dr. Anderson. “We are fortunate to have students like RJ, whose leadership and perseverance inspire classmates, staff and faculty, and beyond. RJ's journey reminds us that embracing diverse perspectives and breaking down barriers enriches our profession and strengthens our collective ability to care for all those in our communities.”

Most recently, support for RJ has come in the form of funding for a new standing wheelchair that allows him to participate more readily no matter the situational requirements. 

“Once I was accepted to medical school, my first Google search was doctors in wheelchairs because I needed to see if this was possible,” says RJ. “I found that in the U.S., especially at the University of Michigan, they’ve adapted programs for doctors in wheelchairs and some surgeons there use standing power wheelchairs.” 

RJ collaborated with his healthcare team and his research preceptor and mentor to determine if a specialized wheelchair could improve his health and allow for further participation in the operating room. Once confirmed, he began navigating the daunting $47,000 cost. He launched a successful sticker fundraiser, raising $5,000 by selling anatomy-themed stickers he designed and created, and worked with several organizations to raise the funds he needed. 

Powered by possibilities 

Since starting medical school in 2023, RJ has found accessibility in the built environment to be the most significant challenge. To ensure his training went smoothly, he worked closely with faculty and staff, visiting classrooms and labs in advance to identify necessary adjustments. Staff in Dal’s anatomy lab promptly made an adjustment to a table after RJ noted it was too high.

“They marked it with a Sharpie, and the next week, they cut it down. When I came back, it was perfect,” he says.

And while RJ says everyone has been incredibly supportive and open to making accessibility changes, his new chair means he doesn’t need to worry about advance visits, meetings, and adjustment delays, allowing him more time to focus on his training and experiences.

“If something’s higher up, I can see it. If I need to stand, I can do that. It’s not about playing catch-up anymore. It lets me be right there with my classmates, and it saves a lot of time — not just for me, but for others involved in organizing things.”

Inspiring change

Nearly 150 Instagram posts since announcing his acceptance to medical school, RJ is regularly contacted by pre-med students who are in wheelchairs or have other disabilities who are curious about the medical school process. He has connected directly with nearly two dozen of them. 

The biggest barriers are often people’s perceptions, not our abilities

But telling his story on Instagram or offline is a whole lot different than telling it to the folks at Good Morning America and, in turn, the millions of people who will see it shared on their platforms. He admits he was nervous but excited for the opportunity.

“I hope people see that there are countless ways to adapt, and that creativity is endless,” says RJ. “People with disabilities can do anything. The biggest barriers are often people’s perceptions, not our abilities.” 

Now read
 

• Able After Dal redefines career support for students with disabilities
  
  
• Student offers simple skills on how to quickly improve care for people with sight loss