May 26
Join Tracy as she welcomes Dr. Diana Mercado to Episode 111 of ADHD for Smart Ass Women. Dr. Mercado is the daughter of Mexican immigrant workers. She graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, earned her medical degree from the University of Texas and did her residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Diana became a family medicine physician so that minority patients would have a physician who “looks like them.” Today Dr. Diana Mercado is a Nurse Practitioner mentor, Clinic Medical Director and was just elected Chief Medical Officer for Jackson County Hospital in Texas.
Diana shares with us: Her struggles in medical school, The circumstances surrounding her ADHD diagnosis, Her symptoms in childhood What changed once she was diagnosed, Her struggle with imposter syndrome, The medication that works best for her, The ADHD traits that make her a better doctor, What she believes to be the key to living successfully with ADHD, Her interest in coaching.
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"I just knew I had to work harder. So that just what had to be done? Like, I never questioned why."
- Dr. Diana Mercado
"I didn't think that was a problem because I thought, Well, my life is meant to be chaotic. Like, I didn't realize I was leaving from a place of reactive Ness versus a place of intention."
- Dr. Diana Mercado
""I think understanding what it's like and how hard I had to work when people come in for Anxiety, I'm not just gonna give him a diagnosis of anxiety, like, I really take my time to figure out."
- Dr. Diana Mercado
- Dr. Diana reflects on her accomplishments with a mix of surprise and self-awareness.
- Dr. Diana shares her experience as a child learning English as a second language, struggling with organization and memory, and overcoming these challenges with the help of her mother.
- Dr. Diana discusses how she didn't realize she had ADHD until later in life, despite experiencing symptoms throughout her childhood and adolescence.
[19:25 - 36:14] ADHD Diagnosis and Stigma Among Medical Professionals
- Dr. Diana shares her experience with ADHD, feeling like an imposter and making perfection mean worthiness.
- Dr. Diana discusses her experience with ADHD and how it has impacted her life, including her decision to pursue a career in medicine.
- Dr. Diana shares her personal experience with ADHD and how she's learned to manage it through an ADHD coach and implementing routines to support her thinking style.
[36:14 - 56:53] ADHD and Medical Professionals
- Dr. Diana realized she had ADHD after listening to a podcast and signed up for a coaching program to learn how to manage it.
- Dr. Diana shares her personal experience with ADHD and how she advocated for herself and her son to receive proper diagnosis and treatment.
- Dr. Diana shares her experience as a physician, emphasizing the importance of being thorough and figuring things out on the fly, rather than knowing everything immediately.
