The Lab Coat - A Simple Drop of Joy

Through much of my special education years, I had yearned to be given the opportunity to learn science and math like my non-disabled peers. And a lab coat was one symbol I associated with this access to mainstream education and mainstream science. After all only the students in mainstream education got to wear lab coats - the rest of us got to wear aprons, at best, for what seemed like kindergarten activities on repeat. 

I finally did get that opportunity of access to mainstream curriculum in high school and got to wear that lab coat. It was a simple drop of joy. 

The physical part of science lab has not been easy for me whether it was the delicate equipment /materials (which call for a great deal of fine motor skills and coordination) or the gear I was asked to wear. For instance, the lab googles given out to students with the heavy rubber straps at the back felt too tight and constraining on my head and the sensation of disposable gloves never felt good on my hands and the impulse was just to take them off. It took time and effort to figure out that there were slip on lab goggles much like sunglasses.  Wearing those disposable gloves for any length of time took a lot of effort and practice. Doing labs required a lot of planning and teamwork from students around me.

At least the lab coat itself did not present challenges. That was totally doable.

It was rather serendipitous to receive this email today about the upcoming "Lab Coat ceremony" in September for incoming students where I will get my own personalized lab coat. 

I started with simple beginnings, now going to an event titled Simple Beginnings. A simple drop of joy for me. 

Dear incoming 1st-year PhD graduate students,

On behalf of the Biomedical Research Education and Training office at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, I want to share my excitement in having you on campus very soon! We want to celebrate you at our annual Simple Beginnings ceremony where we recognize you and your research interests while awarding each of you a personally embroidered lab coat. .....