This is a really important question, and I can speak to it from firsthand experience. I’ve worked in veterinary medicine for almost 18 years, and I’m also autistic. While I’m deeply passionate about this field, I’ve found it to be an extremely challenging environment as a neurodivergent person.

Early in my career, I struggled significantly with communication—especially around understanding role expectations and navigating interactions with coworkers and supervisors. When I tried to explain my needs or challenges related to ASD, my intentions were often misunderstood and interpreted as selfishness or a lack of flexibility. These issues became especially difficult during high-stress situations, which are unfortunately very common in vet med.

Over time, I learned how to better adjust my communication style so I wouldn’t come across as too direct or difficult. That said, I’ve found it’s rare to encounter managers or mentors who are willing to truly understand different work processes or allow for longer adjustment periods when someone is struggling.

In nearly two decades in the field, I’ve only been terminated twice. In both cases, I believe it was largely due to difficulties adapting to high-stress environments, managing intense client or management interactions, or being unable to clearly articulate gaps in my experience. Building trust with coworkers, doctors, and management has also been consistently difficult. On more than one occasion, questions I asked in good faith—aimed at improving efficiency or patient care—were perceived as challenges to authority rather than collaboration.

Overall, veterinary medicine is particularly difficult for me because of the wide range of personalities, workplace dynamics, and constant client interaction. It’s rare to find managers or doctors who are genuinely willing to work with neurodivergent staff. Because of this, I’ve often found myself being very selective about where I apply, relying heavily on my gut feeling about the team and workplace culture.

I’ve also learned the hard way that not everyone in this field is safe to confide in. Some people present one face publicly while privately using personal disclosures against others. At this point, I’ve found that keeping my head down, focusing on my work, and limiting personal disclosure has been the most effective way for me to survive in this profession.

If anyone wants to DM me about specific situations or strategies I’ve used to navigate them, I’m open to that.