Course Overview

Despite advances in recent years, there are several aspects of autism and its clinical care that are not well understood. These 'gray areas' require exploration and further research to improve our capacity to provide tailored and optimal clinical care to patients. Clinicians must therefore keep up to date on this widely variable disorder and the latest innovative strategies to treat it. 

New frontiers in our understanding of autism include: differences in how autism presents in girls; missed or inappropriate diagnosis in less obvious cases; the relationship between autism and gender identity; the overlap of autism and ADHD; and medication management that effectively addresses associated symptoms. Irritability is also a common problem in autism that is poorly defined and requires a multi-modal approach to care. Finally, there is a need to increase awareness of the double burden of patients with autism and racial, ethnic, linguistic, or social disadvantage who suffer delays in assessment and treatment. 

This course aims to help clinicians better identify and treat these challenging aspects of autism. The day will culminate in a lived experience panel with several individuals and family members sharing their unique and impactful stories. All clinicians treating children, adolescents, or adults with autism are welcome! 

Who Should Attend

  • Psychologists
  • Nurses
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Physician Assistants
  • Primary Care Physicians
  • Specialty Physicians
  • Social Workers
  • Counselors
  • Family Therapists

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the markers of autism that most commonly present in girls or high-functioning individuals.
  • Explore issues of gender identity in people with autism.
  • Manage executive function in ASD using targeted strategies.
  • Outline key approaches to the pharmacologic management of associated symptoms.
  • Utilize clinical strategies to manage the symptom of irritability in ASD.
  • Summarize the excess burden of suffering for minoritized patients with autism and how it results in further deleterious clinical outcomes.
  • Review how the challenges of neurodiversity have been experienced by individuals with autism.

Course Directors

Margaret Weiss, MD, PhD, FRCP (C)
Director of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Program and Director of Clinical Research in Child Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

Peter Daniolos, MD, DFAACAP
Psychiatrist, Outpatient Child and Adolescents Division, Department of Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance
Member of the Faculty, Harvard Medical School 

Karen Kuc, MPH
Director, Continuing Education in Psychiatry, Cambridge Health Alliance​​​
Associate in Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

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  • ABMS/ACGME Competencies

    This course is designed to meet the following American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) / Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Educational (ACGME) competencies:

    • Medical Knowledge
    • Patient Care and Procedural Skills
    • Interpersonal and Communication Skills 

  • IOM Competencies

    This course is designed to meet the following Institute of Medicine Core Competencies:

    • Employ Evidence-Based Practice
    • Provide Patient-Centered Care 

Questions?

Please contact the Continuing Education Programs with any questions by email at ceprograms@hms.harvard.edu. 

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