“I was advised against pursuing a career in medicine due to my dyspraxia, but it only served to increase my ambition to become a doctor.”

Yorkshire-based doctor talks in detail about the benefits and challenges faced with his neurodiverse condition and how judgement and perception nearly made him reconsider his career.

Matt Muller, ST5 Vascular Interventional Radiology at Hull University Hospitals NHS Trust, under the Lead Employer programme was first diagnosed with dyspraxia - particularly verbal dyspraxia – when he was just 5 years old.

Matt explains: “I was assessed by a paediatrician in my childhood and have since grown to be very open about being neurodivergent, as making people aware, makes me feel less anxious. As a child and then into my teen years, I was more self-conscious and fearful of being mocked or teased so I tried to hide it. I would either try to compensate or mask my difficulties by avoiding words and sounds I struggled with or avoid social interactions entirely.”

Dyspraxia can present differently and is unique for each induvial living with the condition. For Matt, how he communicated as a young person increased his anxiety when needing to speak in public forums, something he has learnt to manage into adulthood.

He says: “My neurodivergence is characterised by difficulty with the production of speech and language. Delayed speech and subsequent communication problems as a child led to low self-esteem, social anxiety and a phobia of speaking in front of groups of people. While in Sixth Form I was softly advised against pursuing a career in medicine due to the assumption that I might struggle with the communicative aspects of the work. I found these comments hurtful and demoralising, however, they only served to increase my ambition to become a doctor.

“As an adult in day-to-day life, I have learnt to manage these problems however I still feel very anxious about speaking in front of larger groups. The physical motor problems with speech can be triggered during times of increased stress or fatigue, I feel this has disadvantaged me in situations such as interviews and exams, which have a strong oral component. However, identifying these triggers has helped me manage my wellbeing and can prepare me for periods where I’m likely to feel more anxious.”

Surprisingly, the pandemic offered some new solutions to how Matt interacted with his colleagues. He explains: “The introduction of Zoom meetings during COVID had a positive impact. I find this much less stressful than speaking directly in front of an audience, and it didn’t seem to precipitate the problems I sometimes have with speech. I was also fortunate to benefit from some flexibility in my work schedule as I can also experience insomnia, which has a recognised association with dyspraxia.”

Matt has grown with his condition and adapted to different environments, something he is now able to pass on to others who need that support. He says: “Growing up with speech difficulties shaped my personality and made me a quiet person, although I think it also made me a good listener. It has made me conscious of the importance of inclusivity and I am always looking out for anybody who might be struggling to fit in or have their voice heard, because I have also been that person.”

Matt shared his story as part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week (neurodiversityweek.com) 18th-24th March 2024.