A first-year osteopathic medical student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine is defying expectations and preconceived notions surrounding autism diagnosis.
Two decades ago, I was diagnosed with moderate autism spectrum disorder. My physicians at the time questioned whether I would be able to live independently. I did not speak until I was 4, went to four elementary schools and two middle schools because my autism made it challenging to find adequate support, and received a decade of therapy.
Like many with autism, I struggled as a child to take in verbal and nonverbal cues and gestures to communicate both smoothly and effectively. The best analogy I’ve come across to describe this process is when someone is speaking a language that is not their native language. They will usually have to consciously refer back to their first language, which can be exhausting and mentally draining.
Having developed these skills over the years, I feel confident in my ability to communicate with my medical school peers, but can sometimes miss nuances or come off as awkward. Autistic people tend to think very literally, so recognizing idioms, sarcasm, and passive-aggressiveness can be a struggle. This might make us appear to be instigative, when in fact we might have completely misunderstood someone’s point.
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