FEBRUARY 24 • 2022 | 29
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“It’s time for someone with new ideas
and energy to come in,” said Zazove,
who turned 70 in 2021. “Also, I’m
ready to spend more time with my wife
(Barbara Reed, M.D., MSPH, professor
emeritus of family medicine at U-M).”
Zazove, who has been a member of
Temple Beth Emeth and the Jewish
Community Center in Ann Arbor,
leaves behind a tremendous legacy as
a deaf clinician and researcher. He has
tirelessly advocated for health care for
people with disabilities and has pushed
for changes that have opened access to
medical school education to students
who also have disabilities, not only at the
University of Michigan but across the
globe.
“There’s so much work to be done in
improving the health and lives of people
with disabilities — and most of us will
develop a disability at some point in our
lives,” he said.
Zazove said that many physicians still
are unaware of the health care expe-
riences and accommodation needs of
those with disabilities. Many clinicians
also feel uncomfortable treating this
patient population, even though over
20% of Americans (approximately 61
million people) have a disability.
Under Zazove’s leadership, the
Department of Family Medicine fac-
ulty has taken an active role in caring
for those with disabilities. They have
also advocated for making changes in
COVID vaccine site layouts so that
patients with all types of disabilities can
use them.
Their work also includes the estab-
lishment of Michigan Medicine’s Deaf
Health Clinic. Zazove, along with
Michael M. McKee, M.D., MPH, who
also has hearing loss, serve as co-direc-
tors. The Deaf Health Clinic is the only
one of its kind in Michigan and is in
Dexter. The clinic serves deaf patients
from across the state.
Faculty also have conducted a wide
range of research, including studies that
have impacted those with disabilities.
“We have an amazing group of high-
ly-skilled researchers in our depart-
ment,” Zazove said. “Their expertise in
so many areas, including women’s health,
deafness, disabilities, adolescence, dia-
betes and mixed methods research is
inspiring. The impact of so many of our
findings on so many people worldwide
has been gratifying for me as department
chair. It’s why we all went into health
care — to help our fellow humans.”
Zazove and Family Medicine faculty
have also helped increase basic aware-
ness that those with disabilities have the
right to practice medicine if that is a
career they wish to pursue. This includes
addressing inappropriate technical stan-
dards for admission to medical schools;
the provision of accommodations that
are appropriate for medical students; and
working with state and national organi-
zations to support medical professionals
with disabilities.
CHARTING HIS OWN COURSE
AS A FAMILY PHYSICIAN
As someone who grew up in the 1950s
and ’60s, Zazove knows the daily obsta-
cles that someone who is deaf or hard of
hearing faces. Some of these barriers still
exist today.
Though academic and professional
expectations were low for Zazove, his
Dr. Philip Zazove is
pictured with Ellie
Barron, a patient of his
who is now a freshman
in the honors program
at Michigan State
University.