Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. This question was originally posted on Quora, and some of the best answers were picked: Answer 1 by: Mitul Mehta, Assistant Professor of Vitreoretinal surgery, UC Irvine/Gavin Herbert Eye Institute It is possible to be a successful physician with Asperger's and in the US you can only be fired if you cannot do the work, the diagnosis alone is not grounds for dismissal and it would be illegal to fire someone for that. I have seen two medical students and one attending physician who probably had Asperger's. I am saying this because of their communication skills, reactions to certain situations and their fixations on certain topics. There is a general gestalt one gets if they have been around enough Asperger's. One never finished medical school. His lack of communication skills made it impossible to pass his clinical rotations, sadly he died shortly afterward, I am not sure how. This was a kid who knew the literature backwards and forwards. He knew everything in the books and was like a sponge, he never forgot anything I told him. But he had absolutely no communication skills. Patients did not want him to examine them on rounds. I felt really bad for him. I think he would have done fantastic as a pathologist or diagnostic radiologist. I have no idea how he got through his medical school interviews. The other guy I knew from when I was in medical school. He had very mild symptoms. Asperger's is a spectrum and he was very functional. He got better grades and board scores than me and went on to be successful. The attending was amazingly successful and is considered one of the top people in his field internationally. He could never make eye contact with someone when talking to them. It was subtle and he is a genius. He has saved countless lives and if I had a problem related to his speciality, I would see him. it's all about how severe the syndrome is and how much communication/human interaction is needed. Most physicians have a lot but some fields do not (diagnostic radiology, pathology, radiation oncology). Answer 2 by anonymous: Yes, But could be Hell on Earth. I am a physician with Asperger's. I went/ am going thru Hell. My advice?- Go for it but Only with assistance and self awareness. I graduated in 1985 long before any thoughts of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) so I received no help. There was much confusion and frustration. Medical school was structured and i kept my head down. My mantra was KYMSAL [Keep you mouth shut and listen]. I lucked out with an Orthopedic Surgery Residency Director that saw my potential so I was able to complete my residency, but with a huge emotional toll on me and my family. My family is still paying with anger issues etc. After Residency, I went thru almost a job a year and I have lost at least 12 positions. "Yes, you are an excellent surgeon, but you just can't get along with others and you upset your patients and nurses too often." I lost my last stable job 3 years ago and after that I went to be privately tested and that's when my formal diagnosis of ASD with an IQ of 135 was made. I have adjusted and am working part time and getting along very nicely, but the my old reputation and trouble is haunting me and preventing me from getting a good full time position. The medical profession offers many rewards and many modalities to use your IQ and special abilities. Find an environment that has an understanding of ASD and willingness to work with you. The ADA may help open doors. BUT I CAUTION YOU: You must be willing to look at your own challenges and to use your IQ to find work arounds. There is no room for thinking selfishly; "But I'm right! They just don't understand!" And you will likely be right BUT BEING RIGHT DOESN'T MATTER, being sensitive matters. It was 22 years before I looked my patients in the eye and before I held a hurting patient's hand. I actually learned these skills overnight after reading about ASD. But, this was only after 12 years of intense self study to acknowledge my personal challenges. Had I known about ASD, and had assistance, I believe my journey would have been much more efficient and enjoyable. MY STORY: Six years post residency I was miserable and suffered in silence. I had just lost my 4th job and I had a dysfunctional family and no friends. I needed something so I started my journey 17 years ago by attending many weekend trainings on emotional intelligence and self awareness (1)(2). I listened to home programs (2) and I utilized personal coaching for 5 years. I progressed very slowly due to my continual denial that my dysfunction was hurting me and those around me. I even received an ethics violation from the state medical board because I was emotionally clueless. The state’s workers comp people wanted help catching a previous patient of mine committing medical fraud. So they asked if I would look at a video tape of my former patient lifting tree branches in her front yard. I said yes. I watched and they asked; “Is she lifting more than her 2 pound limit?” I said; “Yes, that branch is 20 pounds." I got upset because that video showed how much she and her husband had mislead and betrayed me. So I said; “Gimme a break!”, “Wierdo”, “If we send her back to work, she’ll just piss and moan!”. The Asperger’s in me didn’t appreciate the tape recorder in the room, nor how my talk would be perceived by others. So now three additional states have cancelled my license. Learning I had Asperger’s was very helpful. I never used it as an excuse. I could read up on the typical shortcomings and use my intellect to design “work arounds”. The most important was to never cling to one of my behaviors. When my spouse or a trusted colleague suggests I do something differently or that I had misunderstood, I now stop and comply with their suggestion in a friendly mood. Before, I used to say; “But my way is better because ……..”. You must be willing to accept all constructive criticism with a "Thank you”. Here is the Are You Ready for Med School Test: For two weeks every time someone says anything to you, your response must start with; “Thank You”, then listen and complement them for a great teaching. If you can learn to be that receptive, and it doesn't feel horrible to you, Then I think you're ready for medical school. Good Luck!! Source
