Reel Resource Review: Using Scrubs and The Good Doctor to Inject Neurodiversity Into OB Courses

Abstract

With the increasing recognition of neurodiversity (ND) as a vital element of inclusive workplaces, management education must prepare future leaders for these realities. Despite this need, traditional organizational behavior textbooks often fail to explicitly address ND, limiting it to generalized notions of “individual differences”—if at all. In this resource review, we propose leveraging TV shows, to fill this gap and deepen student understanding of ND. We examine the use of an episode from the sitcom Scrubs to introduce ND. Featuring Michael J. Fox, who plays a neurodivergent doctor with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the episode provides a nuanced depiction of ND, showcasing both challenges and strengths using humor. We compare the Scrubs episode to one from The Good Doctor due to their contextual similarity. This resource review highlights the untapped potential of using TV episodes in management education to foster inclusive perspectives and prepare students for working with neurodivergent coworkers.