I dreamed of joining the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) Band when I finished school and everything that I did went towards making this dream a reality . I used my work experience to sit in on a rehearsal and joined my local RAF Voluntary Band .
However , when it came to applying , autism was , in those days , categorised under ‘ medical conditions that preclude entry ’. Even after an appeal , I was declared medically unfit for entry and told to reapply when I was treatment , symptom and medication free for a period of 12 months .
This was devastating for me and , as my time at school was coming to an end , I had to quickly think of a backup plan .
The majority of other students in my year were planning to go to university and , not wanting to stand out as being different , that ’ s what I did too . I applied to university to study music performance , was offered an audition and was given an unconditional offer .
After the immense disappointment I felt after realising my RAF career wasn ’ t achievable , I didn ’ t dare think too far into the future and had no idea which career path my music degree would lead me to .
At university , I had enough evidence to qualify for extra support and assistive technology through the Disabled Students Allowance ( DSA ). This support was incredible and really helped me throughout my time there . However , when I registered with my new GP and said that I had an autism diagnosis , she could see that I ’ d never actually undergone any formal diagnostic assessments .
When I was diagnosed , in 2015 , the psychiatrist said : ‘ I could put you through all the tests in the world , but there ’ s no need , you are autistic ’. As a 16-year-old , I thought this was sufficient ; the psychiatrist wrote up his findings and this was enough for me to receive support from the DSA and be refused from the RAF , so I didn ’ t understand the difference any formal diagnostic assessments would make .
My GP quite rightly explained that my ‘ diagnosis ’ was subjective , based on one psychiatrist ’ s opinion , and that this didn ’ t adhere to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines .
My GP also explained that if I wanted to access NHS support , specifically for autistic adults , then I would have to go through the formal diagnostic process . So , I reluctantly agreed .
I underwent the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ( ADOS ), which was completed over two sessions . The one thing I clearly remember from my that experience was that my autism assessor had a big badge on her lanyard saying ‘ I OT ’.
Throughout the assessment I kept wondering what ‘ OT ’ stood for and as soon as I got back to my flat , I did a Google search .
When I received my formal diagnosis and autism report I was blown away by the detail and how my assessor knew so much about me from such a short space of time .
I started to read a lot about occupational therapy and found it interesting , but still didn ’ t consider it as a career , as I was studying for a degree in music performance .
My time at university was brilliant and with my formal diagnosis I was able to access beneficial support that was tailored specifically to adults with autism . Unfortunately , my final year at university was cut short and moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
2020 was a difficult year for everyone , but looking for jobs in the arts sector was nearly impossible , as everyone was on furlough . After applying for numerous jobs in various shops and not even getting to interview stage , I decided to look at the social care sector .
I ended up working as a playworker for a charity that offers respite care to disabled children . This was a highly rewarding job and I loved going to work . I was helping to look after children who had complex medical , behavioural and emotional needs .
It was during this time that I came across the occupational therapy profession again , but in a very different way . This time , occupational therapists would frequently come to our setting to work with the children , fitting and adjusting their wheelchairs .
I started to research into the profession again , amazed by the great variety of jobs that one profession is qualified to do . I found that my local university offered a pre-registration MSc degree in occupational therapy . So , I decided to apply and was offered a place .
I ’ m delighted now to be on my way to completing my MSc , having recently been offered my first job on a full-time rotational post at my local hospital .
Through writing this article and sharing my experiences with you , I hope that it shows that whatever your background and however you have arrived in the occupational therapy world , all the experiences and personal challenges you have overcome can help make you an empathetic and holistic practitioner .
Words GEORGINA SPRAY , MSc occupational therapy student and RCOT learner ambassador
November 2024 OTnews 25