Q: My son is squint eyed, otherwise he is perfectly normal. Surgery for correction was done but he has not regained binocular vision. He is now in final year of MBBS course and is quite brilliant. Will this squint, very marginal now, affect his medical profession? Can he be a normal doctor after he completes the course? The doctor who operated on him stated that his vision will be lacking in depth. Will this make a material difference to be in medical profession?

A:Many of the cognitive professions can be practiced with little restriction by people with physical defects that do not interfere with everyday activities. Medicine as a profession offers numerous subspecialties ranging from administration and psychiatry to surgery and pathology. Thus, a relatively minor heath problem or physical defect cannot preclude one from entering the medical profession and finding a suitable form of practice. Any prejudice encountered can usually be resolved by the clear intent of the practitioner to provide the highest level of performance and to show insightful empathy for patients and others with problems such as impaired appearance.