Posted on 10/05/2007 11:12:35 AM PDT by SmithL
BOSTON, (AP) -- An appeals court cleared the way Friday for a Harvard student to receive extra break time during a lengthy medical licensing exam so she can pump breast milk for her infant daughter.
The state Appeals Court refused to overturn a decision issued by a single justice of the court last week allowing Sophie Currier, 33, the extra time. The decision clears the way for the woman to take the exam next week.
The state Supreme Judicial Court already has declined to hear the case.
Currier sued after the National Board of Medical Examiners said she could have only the standard 45 minutes of break time during the nine-hour exam.
Last week, Judge Gary Katzmann of the Appeals Court ruled in favor of Currier, saying she needs the extra break time to pump breast milk to feed her 5-month-old baby. Katzmann said if she didn't get the extra time, she would not be on "equal footing" with men and non-lactating women who take the test.
Ignoring the need to pump could cause her significant pain, Katzmann said.
The licensing board appealed Katzmann's ruling to the full, three-judge panel of the appeals court. On Friday, the full court refused to overturn Katzmann's decision.
The court said it based its decision on whether Katzmann abused his discretion or made a clear error of law. The court said it found neither. It did not rule on the merits of the case.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Do you really want a dyslexic administering drugs to you in an emergency? (So take off ER physician off your list.)
The MD that wrote the book on ADD has ADD himself (Harvard MD, too, iirc). Even as a psychiatrist, I'm sure he has extraordinary discipline to concentrate on his patients' words, appearance, and whatever else they use for diagnostics.
This particular woman has only the discipline to whine and sue, it seems.
I am blessed with this kind of woman, thank you very much.
Just asked her about it, she agreed with me that this lady is full of crap, as well. Her comment was that she wouldn't want to be hooked up to the $#%##@ pump for an hour. 15 minutes at a time was enough misery, already.
I'd also add that if a person doesn't have what it takes to meet the requirements for ANY profession - either mentally, physically, or just through the choices that they've made (having a baby while going through a rigorous med school program, for instance) - then they don't deserve to be in the profession.
That was my point, when my wife was nursing a hand pump would take about 10-12 minutes to empty her out. This woman wanted toim to breast feed, use the bathroom, and eat and claimed that she needed 20-30 minutes for all that.
While I would hate to live a life where one has to always rush like that (because it would be rushing) if you’re preparing to be a medical doctor thats going to be cake..
I don’t know..ADD? I’d say there are more than a few MDs with it, on meds. But, it is a scary thought. I know of a few MDs with dual mental diagnoses'.
Too bad we can't ask them about their own condition when we are interviewing them.
I would say if the Docs at Harvard pass her and she is not competent then they should be held accountable.
Then there is no need for special considerations for her, is there? Exams already have bio-breaks built in. She already is getting much more time because of her other special needs.
I agree with your wife.
Exactly.
I’ve found that agreeing with my wife is generally a good idea, too. lol!
LOL!
Reminds me of the EIT test I took my senior year in college. The test is basically the precursor to the professional engineering test--4 hours in the morning, 1 hour lunch, 4 hours in the afternoon. It was held on a Saturday and I forgot all about it. I barely made it to the testing center, forgot my ID (they allowed me in if I promised to bring it back after lunch), and had to borrow a pencil from a friend....
Long story short, I finished first in the morning, about 10th (out of ~200) in the afternoon (total test time of about 4.5 hours), and passed the test.
I suppose, in this woman's case, if you plan for failure your plans just might work out.
Oh, man. The EITs. Glad I never have to do that again!
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