Although my education was delayed somewhat by TS as a child and in early adulthood (there were no 'special needs' provisions at all at school) I did eventually get to university and graduated at the top of my class. Of course there was no DDA legislation (similar but less effective than the ADA in US) at that time in the UK, the staff were incredibly supportive and I always felt I was being encouraged and valued as a student and received positive feedback from academic and administrative staff. I had always dreamed of qualifying as a doctor and hoped to work in developmental paediatrics or neurology and work with TS, ASD, SPD etc. and pursue clinical research. I knew that in the UK the chances of getting into medical school with TS were low but under the new DDA you did not have to declare a disability initially and could do so at a time when you felt you needed appropriate support. I applied, got an interview during which I managed to control any tics reasonably well and was offered a place.
I successfully got through all necessary exams, although many were tough as they were all timed and I could rarely get through all the questions. I completed all my clinical rotations and received good commendations from consultants whom I trained under and passed my clinical examinations. It was only towards the end of my 4 years of training that I sought support and adjustments as finals approached. I had wanted to prove I could get through all the clinical training, despite having TS. I was however very aware of the attitudes of staff in my university towards disability (notoriously bad) and had been advised by other students with disabilities not to be too open with staff and to be careful what I told them about any disability needs.
I hoped to be entitled to additional time for written assessments and be able to take written exams in a separate location as well as receive other 'reasonable adjustments' which under the DDA you are legally entitled to. The response was completely negative e.g. "on what grounds?" Key senior staff and the disability service were all fully aware of my TS and had been told, in detail, about the specific problems I experience. I stressed that TS was a neuro-developmental disorder and that I it had been present since early childhood and that it was not, as they supposed, a mental illness. I even supplied copies of educational DVDs including HBOs "I have Tourette's..." I was subsequently told none of the adjustments I felt I needed could be permitted.
I sat several exams (3 & 2 hours long) in a large hall with about 400 other students. The stress was unbelievable and sitting still and quiet for that long an enormous challenge and took most of my concentration. Just 4 weeks before my final examinations, and only 2 months before I was due to graduate, I was informed that I would be put through assessment proceedings, to determine if I could be allowed to work as a doctor, that would also lead eventually to my being required to undergo a multi-disciplinary 'neuro-psychiatric' assessment. The academic staff, some of whom were qualified in medicine, regarded my disabilty as a mental illness. You can't imagine the levels of stress and hence increase in my TS-related difficulties which are exacerbated greatly by unecessary stress. This is especially so when the source of the stress is beyond my control or ability to reduce. I was required to attend a consultation with a Professor of psychiatry, for which I had to travel over 200 miles, whose knowledge of TS apperared to be quite limited, and who concentrated mostly on largely inappropriate questioning about my parents, their jobs and background and an overly detailed account of my employment history but little that was relevant to TS. He also questioned the medication regime I receive without any apparant logic. He did not take a proper neurological history nor document in any way the details of my TS symptoms or the difficulties they cause me in regard to studying and academic work. Several months later I was required to undergo yet another assessment with another psychiatrist in order to be allowed to continue with my degree this time during the revision period for final examinations. I was not informed for more than 6 months of the outcome of all these additional assessments so remained in a state of anxiety throughout, not knowing whether I would ever be allowed to take up my first job. I was also required to take IT training during this period as I have difficulties with using a keyboard despite my IT skills being extensive and greater than most other students. Additionally the university also required a letter from my GP as well as all the other assessments which they described as 'necessary' in order to determine whether it was in the university's 'best interests' that I be allowed to remain on my course! This is again in direct contravention of the Dsability Discrimination Act. Remember however that throughout this entire process I was not suffering from any 'illness'! I also had to have regular reports submitted by staff regarding my progress. None of these requirements were imposed on other students without disabilities.
The upshot of all this is that my university went to considerable lengths and placed many successive additional requirements and obstacles in my way in what appeared to be an attempt to reduce my chances of qualifying. They have now accepted finally that TS is a neuro-developmental disability following formal complaints about disability discrimination but are still trying to emphasise the psychiatric 'illness' angle as it coincides with the need to defend their actions. Due to all this, I will now have to declare that I have been assessed for FtP, and declare the fact that I have TS in all job applications even though the legal guidelines of the DDA specify otherwise.
Sometimes I feel however hard I try to prove myself, I can never win as people cannot see beyond having TS! However despite all this I still intend never to stop believing in myself and of what I am capable of given the chance. Until such times that real awareness about TS is achieved, prejudice is something we are often forced to live with and endure.
One thing my experiences at medical school have taught me is that I will never allow anyone to treat me in such a shameful and demeaning way again. People growing up with conditions such as TS get used to being bullied, especially by those in positions of power and authority and often feel thankful that they are accepted on any level at all. This is a terrible indictment of the way our society treats those born with disadvantages, which the individual themselves can do little about and which represent a life-long challenge. I have been advised by others that those involved should be named and shamed. I did attempt to this on one occasion but the response was unexpected, complete denial - I was lambasted for making 'accusations' about discrimination, told that what I said was defamatory and that the medical school had a good reputation which should not be damaged! This is despite a subsequent official complaint I made, being upheld by the university's independent complaints committee who levied very strong criticism at the conduct of the medical school's senior staff and the inappropriate actions that took place.
