Autism and Neurodiversity in Primary Care (ASD) - Recognize and Refer
This course is the first in a two-part series developed to support primary care providers in delivering high-quality care to autistic and neurodivergent patients across the lifespan. Many providers have reported feeling ill-prepared to care for children, youth, and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to a lack of training and resources.
UBC CPD and the UBC Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA) have partnered to create this practical and engaging online course, featuring videos, activities, and real-world tools tailored to the primary care setting. In this first module, you’ll learn how to recognize the signs of ASD across all ages and how and when to refer for further assessment. You’ll also explore the concept of neurodiversity and the importance of strength-based, person-centred care.
This foundational course is strongly recommended prior to taking the second course in the series: Autism and Neurodiversity in Primary Care – Management.
This course is divided into 4 Lessons:
- Fundamentals of ASD
- Surveillance and Screening
- Diagnostic Pathways
- Neurodiversity
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the fundamentals of ASD including the diagnostic definition and core features.
- Recognize indicators of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the lifespan.
- Describe standard developmental and screening measures that can complement your observations.
- Describe early referral for assessment for diagnosis is important and that referrals can occur across the lifespan.
- Identify all components of the diagnostic pathway in BC for children, youth, and adults.
- Define neurodiversity and understand the importance of strength-based language in reducing discrimination and providing quality care.
Funding for this project has been generously provided by the Ministry of Children and Family Development of BC.
Continued support for ongoing participant fees and hosting generously provided by UBC's Centre for Interdisciplinary Research and Collaboration in Autism (CIRCA).
The Division of Continuing Professional Development, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine (UBC CPD) is fully accredited by the Continuing Medical Education Accreditation Committee (CACME) to provide CPD credits for physicians. This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 2.00 Mainpro+® Certified Activity credits. Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity.