32yo just became a doctor, except she is both deaf and blind: ‘I never saw myself as any different’

Alexandra Adams has officially achieved a milestone that many once told her was impossible. She has become the first-ever doctor in the United Kingdom who is both deaf and blind. This incredible accomplishment follows a decade of intense academic work and personal challenges, culminating in a week where she received both a medical degree and a master’s degree in creative writing from Northeastern University London.

According to PEOPLE, Adams spoke about her journey on ITV’s show This Morning on July 8, 2026. She explained that for most of her life, she did not view her circumstances as a limitation. “I never saw myself as any different,” the 32-year-old told the hosts. However, she noted that this perspective shifted once she began her medical training, as she was suddenly met with skepticism from others. 

“Then suddenly people were saying, ‘Oh, you can’t do that because you’re DeafBlind,’” she explained, noting that she prefers the term DeafBlind for individuals with both diminished sight and hearing. Despite the pushback, Adams refused to see her disabilities as a detriment. Per PEOPLE, she told the show, “I realized that maybe I had something slightly unique.” This determination is what propelled her through more than 10 years of training. 

Her journey has had as many obstacles as successes

As detailed by Northeastern Global News, Adams had been nine years into her medical training in Wales when she faced significant hurdles that almost ended her career. She described a moment where she believed it was “the end of the road” for her dream, leading her to look for other opportunities. It was during this search that she discovered the creative writing program at Northeastern University London.

The inspiration for this path to being a medical professional began in her teens. According to PEOPLE, she spent 17 months in the hospital due to surgery complications. “I was particularly inspired by one doctor,” who noticed that she was “very frightened and didn’t know what was going on,” Adams explained. 

The doctor sat with her and shared her own experiences with health struggles. Adams stated that she “burst into tears” when the doctor drew the curtains and “showed me a big scar across her abdomen and she just said, ‘I know how you feel.’” This, in turn, reportedly taught Adams a lesson. “It’s that empathy that I could use in the future to help other people. And what’s what I get to do now,” she said.

The outlet reported that she has multiple health struggles outside of her disabilities. The biggest is an immune disorder, Mast Cell Activation syndrome, that requires her to use oxygen. However, that hasn’t been her biggest problem. “My disabilities haven’t been the obstacle in my medical degree. It’s been the perceptions of other people,” she said. “I think discrimination has been a big hurdle.”

When it comes to medicine, PEOPLE reported that she has figured out her system. Adams explained that “Disability comes on a big spectrum. So even though I’ve got severe to profound hearing loss, I am having a normal face-to-face conversation using a stethoscope.” She uses a Bluetooth stethoscope that connects directly to her hearing aids, allowing her to hear heartbeats clearly. She mentioned that this often surprises her younger patients, who sometimes think she has super hearing. 

When it comes to vision, she reportedly pointed out that many medical procedures are actually rooted in touch. When inserting a needle for an IV, she explains that “it’s more about touch and feel” to the point where medical students are “actually encouraged to look away or close their eyes because the best ones are the ones that you can feel. And as someone with sight loss, my sense of touch and feel is naturally heightened.”

Beyond her clinical skills, Northeastern Global News noted that she uses technology like radio aids and vibrating pagers to assist with her daily workflow. She has been very open about these methods on social media like Instagram and on TikTok, where the video reached more than 2.9 million views. While she is currently keeping her options open regarding her specialty, she has expressed interest in geriatric or palliative care.

As she prepares to start her new role as a doctor, she remains focused on balancing her ambition with safety. “It’s all about safety,” Adams said. “I have to be realistic along the way.” For now, she is considering geriatric or palliative care.

Disabilities can be an obstacle, especially if, like Ben Pettingill, they get to their unfamiliar hotel and find no night staff on duty. Then again, sometimes, even doctors find surprises, like meeting a blind woman whose multiple personality disorder included personalities that could see.