Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Teaching methods adapted for autistic medical students
By Harker A & Tarafdar S.·2025·Aneurin Bevan University Health Board·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: How Are Pedagogical Practices Within Medical Education Being Adapted for Autistic Students?
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how teaching methods in medical education can be improved for autistic students, who may struggle with social communication and have specific interests or behaviors. Researchers reviewed several studies to find out what changes could help these students have better experiences in their medical training. They found that increasing awareness and understanding among educators, using appropriate language, and making personalized adjustments in teaching could be beneficial. Additionally, having autistic medical professionals model their experiences can provide valuable insights. The study suggests that working together to create empathy training sessions could help both autistic and non-autistic students. Overall, while some ideas for improvement were identified, more research is needed to explore these strategies further.
Abstract
Autism can be defined as a neurodevelopmental learning difficulty characterised by deficits in social communication, the presence of restrictive interests and repetitive behaviours. The aim of this systematic review was to explore pedagogical practices and identify interventions that would have an impact on autistic medical students' experiences. A search strategy was undertaken on databases relevant to medical education. Included studies pertained to autistic medical students and/or postgraduate autistic doctors and concerned factors that could have implications on pedagogical practice. A quality appraisal was conducted, and a narrative synthesis was employed to produce the final report. Seven articles were included in the final synthesis, with three deemed high risk of bias. Four themes were identified. Findings that improved experiences included raising understanding and awareness through training, recognition and language usage and individualised practical adaptations. Emphasis was placed on role modelling from autistic medical educators/clinicians to facilitate insight into strengths and weaknesses. Taking an alternative view on empathy and considering co-creation of empathy teaching sessions (faculty and autistic students) would positively impact not only autistic medical students but also their neurotypical peers. Potential strategies have been proposed to bolster the effectiveness and equitable nature of current pedagogical practice in medical education. The more tenable propositions suggested include altering language use and co-creation of empathy teaching sessions. The remaining proposals may not currently be plausible within the United Kingdom given cost and feasibility factors when considering their implementation. Further evaluation is needed when considering the global context. The paucity of literature pertaining to this topic indicates that further research is warranted.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41583264