Enhancing Junior Doctors Lives Neurodiversity Supporting Trainees Carla

Enhancing Junior Doctors Lives Neurodiversity & Supporting Trainees Carla O’Brien Neurodiversity and Study Support provider 22 nd June 2018

Dyslexia • Reading • Auditory memory • Organisation • Time management DCD (Dyspraxia) • Fine/gross motor skills • Organisation • Time management Autistic Spectrum Disorder • Social communication • Highly focused interests • Sensory sensitivity Dyscalculia • Numbers and maths concepts ADHD • Distractibility • Impulsiveness • Restlessness • Hyperfocus Tourette’s • ‘tics’ • Hyper-arousal leading to lack of sleep

Carla O’Brien Neurodiversity and study skills support provider

Dyslexia • Reading memory • Organisation • Time management DCD (Dyspraxia) • Fine/gross motor skills • Organisation • Time management Autistic Spectrum Disorder • Social communication • Highly focused interests • Sensory sensitivity Dyscalculia • Numbers and maths concepts ADHD • Distractibility • Impulsiveness • Restlessness • Hyperfocus Tourette’s • ‘tics’ • Hyper-arousal leading to lack of sleep

Aim for this session • Raising awareness & understanding • Noticing challenges, recognising strengths • Where to go for help and what happens then • Take action!

Dyslexia • Reading • Auditory memory • Organisation • Time management DCD (Dyspraxia) • Fine/gross motor skills • Organisation • Time management Autistic Spectrum Disorder • Social communication • Highly focused interests • Sensory sensitivity Dyscalculia • Numbers and maths concepts ADHD • Distractibility • Impulsiveness • Restlessness • Hyperfocus Tourette’s • ‘tics’ • Hyper-arousal leading to lack of sleep

Dyslexia – a catch all someone with dyslexia may have difficulties with: • reading • organisation • time management • word retrieval • memory – auditory & visual • multi-tasking • prioritising • writing • telling right from left • pronouncing long words with several syllables • visual stress • spelling • focusing/easily distracted • sequencing

Our focus for today • Reading • Memory • Organisation Impact & implications for trainee doctors at work & study/revision

Reading

Memory

Reading difficulties Picture of doctor reading

“……. one of the most helpful things we did was to explore how I Feed back from Paed a iatric ia ST 2 ns have learned in the past and aspects of hobbies that I have which we could use as strategies for tackling revision. The boards are fantastic and a great way to get some revision done after a long day when you're tired; really useful for people in busy jobs such as doctors. It made me focus even when exhausted and I could look at my diagrams on my phone in odd moments. This pictorial way of learning meant I could ‘see’ the information in the exam. I would recommend that anybody who is struggling with revision invests in a big whiteboard!”

Organisation

“I really need a paper list as I cannot remember everything I need to in my head. ” “I feel overwhelmed and overloaded. They don’t understand how my dyslexia makes me even more tired. It is such an effort. ” “You have made me realise I can do things differently” Quotes from my Trainee Doctors “I realise now that I can accept myself as I am. I know I am a good practitioner and a decent diagnostician. I am aiming at jobs where I can use my strengths. ” “One of the biggest issues is working in departments where the rules are strict for no reason. No paper lists for example – these could be shredded at the end of the day. ” “I have always had to work harder than anyone else – I could never go out and party at uni or I wouldn’t be able to cope with the workload. ”

What you see is only the tip of the iceberg….

Give support, Get support • What? • Where? • How? • When?

Summary • Doctors with neurodiverse conditions (e. g. dyslexia) have strengths and talents as well as challenges • Dyslexia is a complex condition - each individual is different • Specific support is available – seek it out, don’t delay!

Thank you