Take five minutes to Learn your Stripes for Rare Disease Day

A free five minute training video for Rare Disease Day 2026 on 28 February has been released by charity Medics for Rare Disease, encouraging HCPs to become more ‘rare aware’

Medics for Rare Disease is a charity that provides free rare disease training for UK healthcare professionals. Rare diseases affect 3.5 million people in the UK and most conditions start in childhood. People with rare conditions wait an average five years to reach diagnosis, commonly experiencing multiple referrals, unnecessary tests and misdiagnoses. Despite this, most HCPs will never receive dedicated rare disease training. Medics for Rare Disease exists to provide free educational resources to doctors, medical students and other HCPs, to improve the healthcare journeys of people living with rare conditions.

Since 2022, the charity has asked HCPs to ‘show their stripes’ for Rare Disease Day, by wearing stripy socks to raise awareness and show support for people living with rare conditions. This year, it is asking HCPs to Learn Your Stripes, by completing the five minute Rare Disease introductory training video.

Medics for Rare Disease CEO Dr Lucy McKay says: “As medics we are taught ‘common things are common’ and ‘hear hooves, think horse… not zebra.’ That mindset is outdated and damaging. Our clinical ambassadors relay to us the ongoing working pressures of those on the NHS frontline and how challenging it is to do the best for your patients with limited time. That is why we’ve made it easier than ever to become more rare aware. It takes only five minutes to complete our new training video, but it introduces a rare aware approach to clinical practice that can make a real difference to your patients living with rare disease.”

Last year, more than 200 images of stripy socks were posted on social media by healthcare professionals, medical students and changemakers, including Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health Ashley Dalton MP and media medics Dr Sarah Jarvis and Dr Philippa Kaye.

Post photos online with #ShowYourStripes and tag @MedicsForRare