Nina Louisa Purvis Shares Her Experience As A Doctor With Autism
There have been many recent TV shows that feature doctors with autism. These TV shows include; The Good Doctor, House, and Grey’s Anatomy. Some people may reference these dramas or characters when they think of autism. One viewer in particular would be Nina Louise Purvis, a student doctor and researcher in space medicine at King's College London.
When Purvis was referred to receive an Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment, she referenced famous characters off of medical dramas. One character is Dr. Shaun Murphy from Good Doctor who “is a surgical trainee with excellent memory recall and attention to detail but faces a stigma”, according to the Medical Xpress. Another character is Dr. Virginia Dixon from Grey’s Anatomy who is head of cardiothoracic surgery. She has an interest in heart-based facts and can over-explain procedures to patients. She also “dislikes physical contact and wears extra protective gear during surgery”, according to Medical Xpress.
Purvis can relate to some of these characters in the show and love these dramas however her experience as a doctor with autism is different which is not shown on TV.
Purvis is sensitive to loud noise, gets lost in the hospital, and struggles with small talk yet. However, her attention to detail, hyper-focus, sticking to rules and regulations, having special interest, and creativity in diagnosis and treatment are strengths she believe will help in her career. The number of doctors with autism practicing in England is not certain yet, there’s been a study conducted in England that suggests a 1% prevalence of practicing practitioners who vary in their specialty.
Purvis told The Conversation that “ [I] see a lot of glamorous misconception and failure to do justice to the autistic community. The range of signs and diagnosis path varies significantly between individuals, so the stereotypical TV autistic doctor isn’t always a portrayal of who we are. And there is a “we”- though my experience is my own, and I cannot speak for all.”
Some obstacles Purvis found in her career were moving every few weeks for placement and living in shared hospital arrangements. Also, noise sensitivity can leave her burnt out. It’s great to have support and resources for people with autism. However several paperwork and meetings can serve as barriers when waiting for these appointments. Lastly, the fear of prejudice and keeping up in the trainee program that is not designed for doctors with autism. Such as people discriminating and underestimating people with autism.
Purvis recently found a Facebook group for doctors with autism and medical students whom she can connect with. This group was pioneered by Dr. Mary Doherty who is a doctor with autism that describes her experiences on a series at the Royal College of Physicians called This Doctor Can.
What we see on TV is a small representation of doctors with autism. As society continues to represent different groups of people, we should highlight and empower the real-life doctors with autism to succeed during challenging times.