- The medical model defines disability in medical terms, such as diagnoses, symptoms and conditions. The model focuses on how aspects of a condition and its symptoms contribute to disability. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines disability as "any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in a manner or within the range considered normal for a human being."
- Impairments refer to specific issues contributing to a disability. For example, a person who is disabled due to schizophrenia may have impairments in the areas of perception and thought processes. A person who has chronic pain may have difficulty moving, which is referred to as a mobility impairment.
- A handicap is any disadvantage for an individual related to an impairment or disability. An individual with schizophrenia has a mental handicap that is related to impairments in thought processing and reality perception. A person with limited mobility has a physical handicap related to impairments in the ability to move.
- The focus of the medical model is diagnosing specific medical problems and treating them through medical treatment, such as through surgeries or medications. For example, a person with chronic pain may be treated with opiate pain relievers. A schizophrenic may be treated with antipsychotic medications.
- Relying solely on the medical model of disability ignores many other factors related to disabilities. For example, individuals with a mental illness may live in a stressful environment that exacerbates the mental illness symptoms. This specific problem cannot be adequately treated through medication or other medical treatments.