Starting university is always a big change and a huge challenge — and a medical degree is one of the toughest. But Dhyana Gopal is not only tackling the academic challenge head-on, she is also confronting and dismantling the outdated expectations often placed on deaf young people.

Diagnosed as profoundly deaf as a baby, Dhyana is now in her fourth year of medical school, proving that deafness is no barrier to ambition or success. Her journey challenges some of the most persistent myths: that deaf children can’t learn to speak or thrive in demanding careers. Dhyana is proof that with early and effective support, deaf children can have the same opportunities in life as their hearing peers.

Her family, who had no prior experience of deafness, refused to accept the perceived limitations often placed on deaf children. They joined Auditory Verbal UK’s Auditory Verbal therapy programme, which supported Dhyana to listen and speak—unlocking not just language, but confidence, independence, and a future full of possibility.

Despite some challenges during the first three years at university, 21-year-old Dhyana is still determined to push through and qualify as a doctor and has already had some high points as part of her training, including assisting in the operating theatre and making her first surgical stitch on a patient, further enhancing her interest in the surgical field.

Now she is busy planning her elective module for summer 2026 which will hopefully see her working in a hospital overseas, perhaps somewhere in Europe, East Asia, or the Middle East.

So, does Dhyana have any advice for prospective medical students, and specifically tips for students with hearing loss?

“For anyone going to university, whether they are deaf or not, I would make sure that you can do all the basic necessities for yourself, like budgeting, washing, cooking, and cleaning.

"And for anyone who is deaf or has a disability, I would say try and speak to people who have already been on the course you are taking, or anyone else at the university you are going to. Attend open days and campus tours and become familiar with the course structure.

"With regards to medicine in particular, there wasn’t much advice out there for me from deaf medics, and it is an extremely challenging degree for those without disabilities, so you can imagine how much harder it is for someone with a disability. It’s really important to be fully informed to ensure you’re making the right choice for yourself, and so that you know what you’re getting yourself into, so that you can be prepared.

"And if you have a disability, please ask for the support you need in advance, and be prepared to advocate for yourself, as accessibility is not always a given.

"I know that Auditory Verbal therapy supported me to listen and speak and ultimately contributed to helping me achieve high grades in school to gain a place to study medicine. But more than that, the therapy programme taught me how to advocate for myself. The senior advisor at university, who I work closely with to ensure accessibility, has congratulated me on my ability to stand up for myself, seek help when I need it, and to always explain clearly what I need and why I need it.

"I’m proud to be studying medicine but I am just as proud that I am not afraid to seek help when I need it. To be commended for that is such a compliment.”

Dhyana attended the Auditory Verbal therapy programme with AVUK for three years, graduating aged five, with spoken language skills equivalent to that of a seven-year-old. Two years later when her brother Khush was born profoundly deaf, their parents did not hesitate in contacting AVUK immediately and starting a new journey with him.

Dhyana said she really misses her brother while she is away studying and added: “Auditory Verbal therapy has become an integral part of our lives and has impacted us in such a positive way.

“Facing challenges like those that I have dealt with at university has been made easier because of Auditory Verbal therapy, which has made me the confident and independent person I am today, and still determined to achieve my goals and ambitions in life.”

Dhyana and Khush are both Young Ambassadors for AVUK