How an autism diagnosis helped this resident doctor find her place in medicine – CBC

Dr. JJ Mráček’s med school challenges almost made her quit — then she found pathology

Mar 26, 2023

Dr. JJ Mráček knew since she was a kid that she would one day go to medical school. But once she got there, the journey was rockier than expected.

Despite previous success in school — including a master’s degree in social work — Mráček struggled to find her footing in medicine.

Exams proved harder than expected. She felt ostracized by peers who, she says, saw her as “too loud” for a hospital. A strong sense of justice, and a need for structure, led to conflict with her supervisors who perceived her as too direct.

Then, just before she finished med school, Mráček got a diagnosis at age 32 that felt like a puzzle being finished: she is autistic.

“It felt like every uncertainty I’ve ever had about myself was answered in that moment — a lifetime of feeling just slightly out of place,” the Edmonton-based student told White Coat, Black Art host Dr. Brian Goldman.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/whitecoat/jj-mracek-medical-resident-autism-1.6789750