Any medics?

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Hi all, I'm currently in the middle of my biomedical science degree and am seriously considering going into medicine afterwards.

I was just wondering if there are any medics/pre-meds out ther with AS?
What challenges does medicine present and how do you cope?
Did you have trouble being accepted into medicine because of your AS?

im a vet, not a medico. being aspie makes it hard..the animal bit was easy..the people bit is hard.

technically im a first responder, one grade below a paramedic. But we do that same s**t they do, except addminstering blood and stuff.
im a lifeguard for the LA county and we have to go through a whole s**t load of stuff.
but this last summer it paid off.
We had 3 shootings, 2 fatal, and we had to deliver a baby on the pool deck!
That gave me a few gray hairs.
i have AS and Autism, and im doing fine. i told my boss and he helps me out when we have a review.
he drills me all the time and that helps me stay on my toes.
message me if you need any help or what not.
-matt

There are a couple of problems that AS could present when going into the medical field. One of them is being prone to sensory overload. If it's difficult for you to remain calm with everything happening around you all at once, it will take at least some extra training to get over this. You will have to learn how to filter through everything at a fairly rapid pace in order to do your job well and help the people that you're supposed to help (especially if you're working as a paramedic or in the ER).

The other thing that might be worth taking a note of is how flexible you are when it comes to sudden changes and unpredictable events happening. This can cause a problem for many people on the autism spectrum, but not everyone has problems with this. Just be sure you know what you can handle, especially if you're considering going into emergency response. Working a more regular medical position (such as a pediatrician) will likely have a more predictable routine on any given day.

The third problem that AS could present with becoming a doctor is interpersonal skills. A doctor really should be good with people and willing to want to help them to the best of their knowledge and skill. People with AS may not have this skill of being naturally good with people, but it can be learned.

I was just curious, but what kind of medicine do you want to go into? Medical research might be a fine choice for an aspie, and probably easier than dealing with lots of people. Some fields of medicine are more predictable than others, but they all require doctors to stay calm in emergency situations and be able to think clearly and, oftentimes, quickly.

So do any professions that have anything to do with medicine or giving first aid, for that matter... I should know that.

Hi,

If you go into surgery or anesthesia - most patients will/should be unconcious and beyond an initial consult you won't have to interact a lot.

LMAO ROTFL

I study medicine. It is my first year again. Last year I dropped out, because there were too many people and noise and too much of everything. I want to study medicine because one of my obsessions is Morquio syndrome.

My obsession is neurology (especially disorders), so I'm considering a career in it. The thing is, the line between that and psychiatry is often a blurry and arbitrary one.

you cant be a neurologist...you need a medical back grounf or a psych background.....a neurologist on its own, doesnt exist without a full medical qualification

I agree with the others who said to go into surgery if you pursue a medical career. You don't have to interact with people nearly as much. The worst thing would be a family doctor... that has to be complete hell.

You may also consider veterinary school. Animals are a lot nicer to be around on a daily basis.

Thanks for your replies everyone. I have been accepted as a volunteer at a hospice, so hopefully this will give me a good feel for what it's like to deal with patients. I have considered being a vet, but I think medicine is my first choice, however if that doesn't work out I will seriously consider it. I don't really want to be a surgeon, tbh, doesn't appeal to me very much at all.

Does SJAC (Saint John's Ambluance Cadets) count?