New research sheds light on ADHD and medical school students. If you think someone who makes it into medical school cannot have ADHD, guess again: A recent review claims otherwise. A recent study involved a review of studies of ADHD in medical school and reported rates from 1.7% - 3.8%There is often a double whammy of effects of ADHD on these individuals who must devote more time and effort and thereby face moreOnce college and professional school is survived, there is now the day-to-day grind of keeping up one’s professional duties while managing a semblance of a life outside of work while navigating ADHD. We can add a third layer of complexity for high achievers from already underrepresented or marginalized groups.In fact, many of these adults with ADHD have faced summary dismissals of their masked struggles in the form of “If you’ve graduated high school/college/law/graduate/business/medical school, you can’t have ADHD.”Focusing on one high-achieving group, a recent study reviewed 29 studies of the prevalence of ADHD among 24,578 medical school students from different countries. The sample was 70% female, ranging in age from about 18 to 27 years old.The different countries represented by these students meant there were different diagnostic methods. The prevalence of ADHD among students ranged from a low of 1.7% when relying on student self-report to a high of 38.9% when using the World Health Organization’s Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale. An Italian study used the more rigorous Structured Clinical Interview for, which includes an adult ADHD module which showed a 16.3% prevalence. Asian and African students yielded lower rates than those from Europe and South and North America, likely reflecting cultural differences in defining and endorsing symptoms. The article’s discussion raises issues of the effects of ADHD on completing medical school and the need for support and treatment. The effects of ADHD on a medicalIn addition to broader cultural issues, there is reticence to report ADHD in medical or other professional schools and settings due toresident diagnosed with ADHD gave his account of witnessing stigma from colleagues about ADHD, the same psychiatrists who might treat adults with ADHD.The resident also made the point that “‘high functioning’ does not exclude dysfunction,” noting that his diagnosis gave him greater awareness and appreciation for his patients and their experiences. We can only conjecture how many other current and aspiring professionals struggle quietly with ADHD.2 Brown, T. E., Reichel, P. C., & Quinlan, D. M. . Executive function impairments in high IQ adults with ADHD.4 Lee, N. Y. W., & Zhang, M. W. B. . Systematic review on prevalence of ADHD, possible ADHD or ADHD symptoms in medical students.5 Varghese, F. P., & Boyd, J. E. . Clinicians with lived experience of mental illness: Introduction to a special section on prosumers, in honor of the late Dr. Fredrick J. Frese III.is a licensed psychologist with an independent virtual practice. He is retired as a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.Self Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.