{"id":3397,"date":"2022-05-16T19:41:52","date_gmt":"2022-05-16T19:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medschool.prd.vanderbilt.edu\/vanderbilt-medicine\/?p=3397"},"modified":"2022-05-16T19:49:39","modified_gmt":"2022-05-16T19:49:39","slug":"evan-mercer-md22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medschool.vanderbilt.edu\/vanderbilt-medicine\/evan-mercer-md22\/","title":{"rendered":"Evan Mercer, MD\u201922"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grew up in Marietta, Georgia<\/p>\n

Diagnosed at age 4 with sensorineural hearing loss<\/p>\n

Attended Vanderbilt University as an undergraduate and served as Mr. Commodore on the VU spirit team<\/p>\n

Served as a Student Affiliate Adviser, working to foster a sense of support for each member of VUSM\u2019s Chapman College<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a perception that doctors have to be absolutely perfect mentally and physically because they\u2019re taking care of people [with lives in their hands]. There\u2019s a sort of stigma against revealing whether or not you have a disability because some people might think of disability as a flaw or imperfection \u2013 but it\u2019s not. I want to be able to challenge the notion that just because you have a disability doesn\u2019t mean you are any less of a physician or a person. In fact, I think it makes you a better provider because you have that experience to connect with your patients or co-workers and team as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n