Warwick Medical School has been working with the ADHD Foundation to look at how we can raise awareness and understanding of neurodiversity.

As part of their medicine degree, Warwick MB ChB students learn through the lived experiences of members of the community who have been affected by certain conditions. Assistant Professor Michele Gutteridge and Dr Kerry Brown, Co Leads of Communication Skills and Lived Experience, have been working to develop material highlighting a lived experience of an individual searching for an ADHD diagnosis at the doctor’s surgery.

Michele says "Community members shared their authentic experiences of neurodiversity, which were then used to develop virtual reality materials for the course. With our VR headsets our students can take the seat of the patient or parent in a virtual GP surgery environment to provide their perspective and develop their understanding of the challenges people in this situation might face."

The materials were reviewed by the ADHD Foundation, who then invited Warwick Medical School to host the 2024 National Neurodiversity Youth Council, taking place on 21 September.

Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation, says: "I am proud to see our ongoing partnership with Warwick Medical School leading the way in embedding neurodiversity into the core of medical education. By engaging trainee medics with the National Neurodiversity Youth Council - a group of neurodiverse individuals who work tirelessly to ensure parity in a neurotypical world - we are shaping the future of healthcare. We are ensuring that those who are neurodiverse are not just acknowledged but also represented, fully understood, and their needs integrated into practice. This is how we create lasting change, for both professionals and patients."

What is the Umbrella Project?

The Neurodiversity Umbrella Project led by the ADHD Foundation is a visual representation of all the different minds we have in the UK. Displays of colourful umbrellas can be found around the country, representing the one in five of us who have a neurodevelopmental condition, such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or Tourette’s syndrome. These conditions fall under the umbrella term of neurodiversity. By taking part in the project at WMS we are highlighting our commitment to developing understanding of the conditions, changing perspectives and celebrating the many strengths that can come from thinking differently. Find out more about the project.