Harold “Hackie” Reitman, MD   


Class year:
1974

Specialties: Neurodiversity Advocacy, Orthopedic Surgery, Media Production, 26 Pro Heavyweight Fights

Current practice: DifferentBrains.com

Fond memory of BUSM: Attending anatomy lab with Dr. Elizabeth Moyer and Dr. William F. McNary after winning the Lowell New England Heavyweight Golden Gloves Championship.

Favorite professor or course at BUSM: Anatomy with Dr. Elizabeth Moyer and Dr. William F. McNary;  Biochemistry with Dr. Carl Franzblau.

Most recent accomplishment: Founding the neurodiversity community site DifferentBrains.com, which offers blogs, news, videos, documentaries, podcasts and more- accessible free of charge- to help anyone that was or is connected to someone with a brain that may function a little bit differently, be it autism, dyslexia, PTSD, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, OCD, ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia to name just a handful. I have also had the honor to talk about neurodiversity around the country. My recent speaking engagements include giving a keynote address along with Tim Shriver for the AADMD (American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry) at the Special Olympics in L.A., speaking at the 2016 AspenBrainLab hosted by the Aspen Institute, presenting at the USAAA (US Autism & Asperger Association) World Conference, alongside other neurodiversity advocates including Temple Grandin, giving the first presentation on neurodiversity to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and giving a keynote address to the 2016 conference of AASCEND (Autism Asperger Spectrum Coalition for Education, Networking, and Development) at San Francisco State University, as well as receiving their 2016 Award for Development.

Hobbies outside of work: Mentoring kids at the Hackie Reitman Unit of The Boys and Girls Club of Broward County

Academic appointments: Traveled from Florida to Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine to present as Clinical Assistant Professor of Anatomy for 35 years.

Recent publication:
Author- “Aspertools: The Practical Guide for Understanding and Embracing Asperger’s, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Neurodiversity” released in 2015 by HCI Books, publishers of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series

Producer/Writer- “The Square Root of 2” Feature film starring Darby Stanchfield of ABC’s “Scandal.” Released on DVD and Digital Download in 2015
Producer/Director- “Asperger’s, Autism, and The Square Root of 2: A Neurodiversity Documentary” Released on DVD and Digital Download in 2016