Introduction: Neurodivergent individuals are increasingly recognised as playing a critical role in the health professions workforce. However, many face significant barriers during their education due to stigma, ableism, and institutional inflexibility. We have approached this work through the lens of the neurodiversity paradigm, reframing disadvantage as arising not from individual traits but from the social, structural, and cultural contexts that shape experiences within healthcare and education. Methods: We conducted an online survey (during May to July 2024) of neurodivergent graduates from a range of Australian health professions programs, exploring their diagnoses, use of accommodations, and experiences navigating their education. We also invited participants to share advice for future neurodivergent students entering health professions education. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was guided by Jain's framework of legibility, which describes how disability, or neurodivergence in this context, is recognised and understood by both individuals and institutions and how recognition shapes accommodations, inclusion, and learner experiences. Results: The 183 respondents had completed a range of health professions qualifications and, strikingly, often identified with multiple forms of neurodivergence. This allowed us to identify patterns of experience that spanned professional groups and rigid diagnostic boundaries. Many reported experiencing stigma and inadequate or inaccessible accommodations, where neurodivergence was framed within a deficit-focussed model. Even when formally granted, supports were inconsistently implemented. Participants described complex processes of self-recognition, often occurring during study or after graduation. Despite these barriers, self-recognition and peer connection were sources of empowerment and agency. The advice participants shared emphasized self-advocacy, self-compassion, connection with community, and the distinct value neurodivergent learners bring to healthcare. Conclusion: Our findings show that the way neurodivergence is recognised and understood by individuals and institutions profoundly shapes neurodivergent learners' educational experiences. When recognition is founded in deficit-based assumptions, it reinforces exclusion, stigma, and structural inequity. To support student agency, self-determination, and belonging, recognition of neurodiversity through a neuro-affirming lens is required. These insights highlight the urgent need for systematic reform to embed neuro-affirming principles within health professions education. Truly inclusive education must prioritise universal design, reduce reliance on diagnostic disclosure, and provide environments where all learners can thrive.
Gray et al. (Fri,) studied this question.