Accommodations are provided to medical residents who have short-term, long-term or permanent disability-related needs that impact their ability to fully participate in their program. Accommodations are determined based on functional limitations and their impact on the resident’s academic progress as it relates to the demands of the program.

The Office of Learner Support and Accommodation (OLSA) at the Faculty of Medicine encouragesresidents to inform their Program Director if they require accommodations and to engage in a discussion about a potential accommodation plan. Accommodations are a shared responsibility and a collaboration between the resident, OLSA , the program, and the site.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Ontario) and with University Policy 90 - Access to Information and Protection of Privacy, the resident’s personal information is collected under the authority of the University of Ottawa Act, 1965. Personal information provided during the accommodation process will be used by the Office of Learner Support and Accommodations and, where necessary, by other University officials involved in the accommodation process to assess accommodation requests, understand functional limitations, determine appropriate accommodation measures, develop and communicate an accommodation plan, implement approved accommodations, coordinate with the program or clinical learning environment, monitor and review the effectiveness of accommodations, respond to questions or concerns related to the accommodation plan, maintain records of accommodation-related decisions and services, and support the resident’s participation and progress in the program.

The OLSA may also aggregate the personal information of residents participating in the accommodation program for planning and statistics purposes. 

All personal information, including medical documentation provided to the Office of Learner Support and Accommodation, remains confidential and is stored in its client management system, which is hosted on a secure server. Once accommodations for a resident are established, the Office of Learner Support and Accommodation provides a Confirmation of Accommodation (CAM) letter to the Program Director. The CAM letter outlines only the accommodations recommended for theresident and does not disclose the resident’s diagnosis. Registering with OLSA or receiving accommodations will not appear on official University of Ottawa documents, such as transcripts, letters or university degrees.

The Office of Learner Support and Accommodation will not disclose aresident’s diagnosis, the nature or cause of a disability, symptoms, treatment plan, identity, or affiliation with the team to a third party without the resident’s explicit consent, except where permitted or required by law. It is generally theresident’s choice to disclose their disability or medical condition. The team may engage in collaborative discussions with stakeholders closely involved in the accommodation process, but these discussions will focus on the resident’s accommodation needs and will not disclose the resident’s diagnosis.

In limited circumstances, the Office of Learner Support and Accommodations may use or disclose personal information without consent where necessary to reduce or prevent a risk of serious harm to the resident’s health or safety or that of others. This may include identifying or contacting the resident and, where necessary, sharing relevant information with appropriate health professionals, campus officials or emergency services, in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

Questions about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information described in this notice may be directed to the Office of Learner Support and Accommodation by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 613-562-5211.