MetroHealth Physiatry Residents Participate in Disability Awareness Retreat at Youth Challenge

On Wednesday, May 7, Jacy Zakel—Youth Challenge board member and physiatrist at the MetroHealth Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency Program—brought her residents to Youth Challenge for a unique, hands-on retreat focused on disability awareness and inclusion. 

The day was designed to foster connection and reflection, while giving residents a deeper understanding of the disability community and how they can become stronger allies in both their personal and professional lives. 

The retreat began with the group splitting into two smaller teams. One team explored how different disabilities can affect mobility, sensory input, and fine motor skills using simulation tools. Participants wore eye shades, leg weights, noise-canceling headphones that emitted continuous buzzing, and rubber bands around their fingers to simulate limited dexterity. 

Meanwhile, the other group navigated a daily living wheelchair obstacle course. Residents were challenged to perform everyday tasks—opening inaccessible doors, carrying plates and full cups of water, maneuvering in tight bathroom spaces, and retrieving coats from high hooks—all while racing against one another to complete the tasks quickly and accurately. 

Afterward, both groups reconvened for a high-energy game of wheelchair basketball, where the friendly competition allowed for team bonding and laughter. 

Next came an orienteering activity, where communication and collaboration were put to the test. Residents were divided into teams of four. One team member was blindfolded, while the others had restricted communication roles—one could only use hand gestures, another could only use eye movements, and the third could speak but not use gestures. Together, they worked to guide the blindfolded teammate to collect a specific object from the ground. 

To close out the day, participants took part in a powerful empathy exercise. Stickers were placed on each resident’s back, with phrases such as “pat me on the head” or “call me buddy, champ, or honey.” Residents were instructed to mingle and treat one another according to the sticker’s instruction—without knowing what their own said. The activity sparked meaningful discussion on unconscious bias, infantilization, and the importance of respectful language and behavior when interacting with people with disabilities. 

Through this immersive retreat, the MetroHealth residents not only learned about Youth Challenge’s mission but also engaged in thoughtful conversations and experiential learning that will shape how they approach disability in both clinical and community settings.