Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge at autism.org/autistic-doctor-insights
Handouts are available at autism.org/autistic-doctor-insights
Autistic doctors have unique insights to offer on autistic experience, autistic wellbeing and healthcare.
Including a mixture of research data and personal experience, this presentation explores the joys and challenges of being openly autistic in an ableist medical profession, the barriers autistic people experience accessing healthcare, and one potential solution developed by autistic doctors – the Autistic SPACE framework.
Insights from autistic psychiatrists will shine a light on what it means to be autistic, the challenge of recognising and sharing one’s autistic identity, and will point to the pivotal role of shame in navigating this experience. Being an openly autistic doctor brings a tension between appearing “autistic enough” to be taken seriously as autistic and “professional enough” to be taken seriously as a doctor, yet embracing this challenge allows us to leverage our insider perspectives for the benefit of our community and help ensure that autistic kids can grow up confidently autistic rather than steeped in shame.
Content warning: This presentation will cover topics including mental health, stigma and shame which can be emotionally difficult for some viewers.
Dr. Mary Doherty is a Clinical Associate Professor at University College Dublin School of Medicine and a Consultant Anaesthesiologist based in Ireland. As founder of Autistic Doctors International, Mary has brought together a vibrant community of over 1200 autistic medical doctors from across the world, with a focus on peer support, advocacy, research, and training. Her research interests include healthcare for autistic people as well as experiences and support needs of autistic medical students and doctors. She developed the Autistic SPACE framework for meeting the needs of autistic people in healthcare settings. As the mother of 2 neurodivergent young people, Mary is passionate about optimising mental and physical health for autistic people, and she believes that moving from traditional deficit framing of autism to a neurodiversity affirmative approach is the way forward.
Free certificates of participation are available upon successful completion of a brief knowledge at autism.org/autistic-doctor-insights
Handouts are available at autism.org/autistic-doctor-insights
Autistic doctors have unique insights to offer on autistic experience, autistic wellbeing and healthcare.
Including a mixture of research data and personal experience, this presentation explores the joys and challenges of being openly autistic in an ableist medical profession, the barriers autistic people experience accessing healthcare, and one potential solution developed by autistic doctors – the Autistic SPACE framework.
Insights from autistic psychiatrists will shine a light on what it means to be autistic, the challenge of recognising and sharing one’s autistic identity, and will point to the pivotal role of shame in navigating this experience. Being an openly autistic doctor brings a tension between appearing “autistic enough” to be taken seriously as autistic and “professional enough” to be taken seriously as a doctor, yet embracing this challenge allows us to leverage our insider perspectives for the benefit of our community and help ensure that autistic kids can grow up confidently autistic rather than steeped in shame.
Content warning: This presentation will cover topics including mental health, stigma and shame which can be emotionally difficult for some viewers.
Dr. Mary Doherty is a Clinical Associate Professor at University College Dublin School of Medicine and a Consultant Anaesthesiologist based in Ireland. As founder of Autistic Doctors International, Mary has brought together a vibrant community of over 1200 autistic medical doctors from across the world, with a focus on peer support, advocacy, research, and training. Her research interests include healthcare for autistic people as well as experiences and support needs of autistic medical students and doctors. She developed the Autistic SPACE framework for meeting the needs of autistic people in healthcare settings. As the mother of 2 neurodivergent young people, Mary is passionate about optimising mental and physical health for autistic people, and she believes that moving from traditional deficit framing of autism to a neurodiversity affirmative approach is the way forward.
