Approximately 1 in 700 babies in the United States are born with Down Syndrome. Yet, despite how common this condition is for people, we don’t often have the chance to hear their stories. In this episode, we are joined by Dashiell Meier, a young aspiring filmmaker and disability advocate who has Down Syndrome. Over the course of our conversation, we have the wonderful opportunity to explore how Dashiell sees the world as he reflects upon the stereotypes that society holds against people with disabilities, discusses what makes his favorite doctors stand out, shares his passion for storytelling, and offers advice to clinicians on how to better connect with patients who have disabilities.In this episode, you will hear about:How Dashiell currently helps Stanford medical students learn to communicate with patients with disabilities - 1:47Dashiell’s academic interests and career aspirations in the entertainment world - 3:22Dashiell’s interactions with doctors and what makes his favorites stand out - 5:22A discussion of the stereotypes that people with Down Syndrome face - 7:42What Dashiell wishes people knew about Down Syndrome - 11:00The movement for people with disabilities that Dashiell is spearheading, and what he hopes to achieve through it - 19:10Advice on building good relationships with people who have disabilities - 27:00The projects Dashiell intends to create as a filmmaker - 32:04How to develop greater empathy for people with disabilities - 34:46Advice to new clinicians and trainees on how best to interact with patients with disabilities - 37:10You can follow Dashiell’s film and video projects on his YouTube channel. You can also follow him on Twitter @DashiellMeier.Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.Copyright The Doctor’s Art Podcast 2023