Embracing Neurodiversity: Supporting Neurodivergent Medical Students

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29Apr

Online event

Timings 9.15am – 4.35pm
Location Virtual event, Online
CPD 1 CPD point per hour of content, subject to peer group aprroval
Standard fee£125
Medical Students fee£42
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Embracing Neurodiversity: Supporting Neurodivergent Medical Students

Event Information

This event will help attendees recognise the nuances of neurodiversity in the assessment of academic/clinical knowledge, skills and professionalism in undergraduate medical education with the aim to enhance support available for neurodivergent medical students to help them flourish at medical school. 

This event is designed specifically for those involved in undergraduate medical education. Medical students who wish to deepen their understanding, gain insight from leading experts, and consider their own learning experience are also welcome. 

Please note that the event is aimed at giving general advice and the speakers will not be able to comment on individual circumstances or provide individualised support. 

  • Promote awareness around neurodivergence amongst medical students. 
  • Share experiences from neurodivergent students to help develop an understanding and appreciation for the different challenges they face in medical school.
  • Explore neurodivergent strengths and the evidence regarding career outcomes and mental health. 
  • Consider the nuances of neurodiversity in assessment of academic/clinical knowledge, skills and professionalism and GMC guidance. 
  • Highlight initiatives, reasonable adjustments, alongside practical suggestions of adjustments to consider and signposting for support. 

We are delighted to welcome the following speakers to join the event: 

Professor Subodh Dave, RCPsych Dean 

Subodh (pronounced Soo-both, but replace 't' with 'd') was elected as Dean in 2021. He holds this role until 2026. He has overall responsibility for setting standards for and facilitating the effective delivery of psychiatric education and training.

Subodh is an international medical graduate having done his MD and DNB (Psychiatry) from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, India. He moved to the UK in 1995 and obtained his CCT in General Adult Psychiatry with an endorsement in Liaison Psychiatry. He works as Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist in Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Bolton. He is Deputy Director of Undergraduate Medical Education and in that role has led innovations in introducing and embedding simulation and lived-experience involvement in the training of medical students at the University of Nottingham.

Subodh has held training roles at all levels spanning undergraduate, foundation and postgraduate training both in the UK and internationally.

He is passionate about ensuring that training, assessment structures and CPD (Continuing Professional Development) programmes lead to improvements in patient care and clinical outcomes.

Dr Sherlie Arulanandam, Consultant Psychiatrist, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS trust, University of Bristol

Dr Sherlie Arulanandam is a Consultant Psychiatrist, Swindon Early Intervention Team. Senior Tutor, Bristol Medical School and Associate Dean, Undergraduate education, Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr Charlotte Heaps, TPD for LTFT, Flexible and accessible working, West Midlands School of Psychiatry

Dr Charlotte Heaps is a  Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist in Warwick and TPD for LTFT, Flexible and Accessible training in Psychiatry on the West Midlands. Charlotte is part of the RCPsych Neurodivergent Doctors working group and have recently published on "Supporting neurodivergent doctors to thrive at work.

Dr David Rogers, Co-Programme Director, Bristol Medical School, Clinical GP, Bruton Surgery

David, a practising GP, is committed to making the path from aspiring medical applicant to confident graduate kinder and safer worldwide. His experience in educational leadership, combined with reverse mentoring from a diverse group of students, has drawn his attention to the challenges faced by neurodivergent learners. In recent years, he and his team have been working to improve support for these students and to promote a more inclusive training

environment.

Dr Jessica Eccles, Consultant Psychiatrist, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Dr Eccles is an award-winning researcher and a neurodevelopmental psychiatrist specialising in the links between brain
and body, especially as they relate to flexible joints (hypermobility). She trained in medicine at the Universities of
Cambridge and Oxford. As well as her University position at Brighton and Sussex Medical School as Associate Professor
(Reader) in Brain-Body Medicine in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, she works in the Sussex NHS
Neurodevelopmental Service (ADHD, Autism and Tourette syndrome) where she and colleagues have set up the world’s
first Neurodivergent Brain Body Clinic. She has been working on the intersect between hypermobility and
neurodivergence since she first came to work at Brighton and Sussex medical school in Neuroscience in 2009. She chairs
the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry Special Interest Group – bringing together

neurodevelopmental clinicians across the country. She hopes to challenge stereotypes and encourage curiosity.

Dr Joanne Morrison, City St George's University of London

Joanne is a social worker by profession, working mainly in the voluntary sector with children and adults with intellectual disabilities, autism, ADHD, brain injury and complex health needs. She entered academia later in life, completing a PhD in 2023 in intellectual and developmental disabilities from the Tizard Centre, University of Kent and currently teaches on Intellectual Disability and also Clinical Communication at City St George's medical school. Joanne is also a self-employed registered intermediary in Northern Ireland, to assesses communication needs of people with intellectual disability, autism, ADHD, mental ill health and dementia going through the criminal justice system and provide recommendations to police and courts on communication for giving of best evidence.

  • Sulaiman Ghiyas, Medical student
  • Dr Khurram Sadiq, Consultant Psychiatrist in South East London at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 
  • Ms Tista Chakravarty-Gannon, GMC, Head of Outreach Strategic Delivery and National Engagement
  • Professor Raja Mukherjee, Lead for Psychiatry, Surrey Medical School, MBBS, FRCPsych, PGDip, PhD
  • Dr Mary Doherty 
  • Dr Muzaffer Kaser,  Affiliated Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge and Consultant Psychiatrist, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

 

For those looking to secure the medical student rate and not already registered as a Student Associate at the College. Please register as a new member and follow the instructions.

Please contact Miriam Muleba at miriam.muleba@rcpsych.ac.uk if you have any questions.

Further information on Becoming a student associate.

This event will be taking place online via a platform called EventsAir. Registered participants will receive their link to join the conference in their joining instructions. Joining instructions will be sent out in the days before the conference is due to take place. 

Watch the helpful explanation video

When you join the conference online you will be able to:

  • view a video of the speaker alongside any slides
  • ask your questions to the speakers and chat with other delegates via the discussion forum.

All registered participants will also have access to this conference recording until Wednesday 22 July 2026 (12 weeks).

To successfully join the event online you will need;

  • Access to a reliable internet connection
  • A PC, laptop, tablet or phone
  • Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended web browsers

Please read our terms and conditions before making your booking.

For further information, please contact:

Email: miriam.muleba@rcpsych.ac.uk

Contact Name: Miriam Muleba

Contact number: 0208 618 4244

Event Location

Location: Virtual event, Online