CHARACTERISTICS OF LD MEDICAL STUDENTS/PHYSICIANS

1.         IQ scores above average to gifted range
2.         Reading comprehension is poor & reading rate is slow
3.         History of difficulty with standardized tests
4.         Study skills & test-taking strategies are inadequate
5.         ADHD is often present, usually without hyperactivity 
6.         LD & ADHD are often not diagnosed before medical school failure
7.         Self-esteem is low
8.         Seldom reads for pleasure
9.         Verbal skills very high; relates well to others; relies on oral language skills to compensate for poor reading and test-taking
10.         Struggle through first years of medical school; excel in clinical years
11.         LD is not severe at earlier levels of education. As demands increase, the person is less & less able to perform well
12.         Creativity is usually present to unusual degree & visualization skills are often excellent
13.         Right hemisphere skills are often present & students have more  empathy than general population
14.         Math skills may be excellent
15.         May be skilled athletically; others may be quite awkward
16.         Organizational crises and time management issues lead to academic and personal problems