Dd12 wants to be a doctor

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She has convinced herself that she wants to study medicine and become a pediatrician. She is very academic and hard working and is attending a good secondary school. She loves science and maths but is high achieving in most subjects.

Is there anything that we can do to support her with her dream? I am fully aware that she might change her mind but at the same time I'd like to support her and give her the best possible chance.

I hope this is not to ridiculous a post.

I would not underplay the importance of under importance of extra curriculums, not a doctor myself dh is. It was his consultant interview that they finally stopped asking him about times he represented (i.e. county / national level) at a non academic event ie sport / public speaking etc . Interview structures have changed but really and practice keeping really actuate logs of achievements...

But academic excellent, volunteering etc too as outlined above - good luck!

EndothermicHands That sounds like a tough weekend, I hope you are okay. Thank you for sharing your experience, it all helps build a picture. Dd is naturally quite resilient but life skill such as cooking and time management are areas to support her further.

When I did my duke of Edinburgh award we visited people in the hospital. We visited the geriatric patients. The St. John’s ambulance cadets would do similar I bet.

If you ever go to Edinburgh the Surgeons museum is worth visiting. Lots of gruesome stuff in jars.

Bumping for the evening crowd.

My DD1 told me she was going to be a doctor when she was 4... and never changed her mind :)
She is indeed now a junior doctor and shortly starting her GP training.

MyDD1 wasn't super sporty and she didn't play an instrument either. Did kick boxing for fun. But she became involved with a special needs charity as a child (as her brother has autism) and spent years helping out at summer camp, then at 6th form she volunteered at an old folks care home. She had seen many children die over the years (children of our friends) and she had mixed with people from very very varied backgrounds.
She also worked throughout 6th form.

I think the St John's is a great idea tbh, as you can do that younger than most volunteering jobs and shadowing is hard to come by.

In all of DD1's interviews for med school they weren't just interested in what she had done extra curricular wise but also in how she thought, was she basically compassionate but with the stamina do do the job..there were lots of questions on ethical matters.

She needs to be good at maths and or chemistry as they usually specify those (over biology oddly enough)..

It's a tough life.. they are assessed and graded and ranked from day 1 pretty much and exams for doctors never stop. But my daughter loves her job, even now, frontline on covid wards, she can't imagine ever doing anything else.
Good luck to your little girl if that's what she wants... honestly on graduation day, watching my child stand with others, to recite the hippocratic oath, was just incredible!

Regarding New Scientist subscriptions- check out your local library. In our area, library membership allows you free access to a range of publications online. New Scientist is included in this.

Build resilience in your child, teach her to learn from every setback and come back stronger. I cannot emphasise how important that is to stay the course in medicine. Getting into medical school is absolutely the easiest part.

Being academically good is kind of a given. As is demonstrating interests in extra curricular activities at a decent level. But what would really help her too is life skills like planning how to shop, meal plan and cook. Encourage her to have a wider world view, volunteering or working with the public is good for this. Medicine brings you into contact with all walks of life, she needs to be comfortable interacting with people from different backgrounds.

It is pretty obvious at interviews which candidates have done a week's voluntary placement to tick a box.

Academics is just a tick box. But aim for high as possible GCSEs as some Unis score them. Then they start to look at UCAT scores and A Levels (3 As minimum). Chemistry is a must at A Level and then another science subject followed by one more of your choice, but I'd still recommend another science or maths.

That's the easy part.

It's like rocking horse poo but try and find experience that will prove to her that she definitely wants to work in a medical/caring profession. My DD found a job in a pharmacy, continued working through the pandemic as she wanted to help her stressed colleagues, been physically and verbally attacked and still goes into work the very next day. She has shown resilience that we didn't know she had. That is hopefully what a medical school will see when she applies to medicine this year. And will be worth more than a top grade piano player. Experience like this will also show if medicine ISN'T the career for her, which is fine too.

The fact is with stellar grades, excellent work experience and every other box ticked, DD still knows she has a slim chance of even getting an interview. It is extremely competitive.

She has DofE, NCS and volunteered but I'm not sure any of these things will go on her PS as they don't particularly bring anything to her application.

It's great she has an idea of what she might want to do. I would also encourage her to do anything else that she is keen on - for example if she also has an artistic bent then she should do that too - my daughter (Y10) will probably pursue a creative arts career but she is also fascinated by science and is in top set of all three disciplines. A well rounded GCSE experience will help confirm your daughters interest but also allow her options in case she decides to do something else.
By the way my sister did a creative writing degree then in her mid 20s decided to do medicine. She is now a doctor, so nothing is set in stone.

Dd has three great medical school offers.

Comprehensive state school.

Went on some widening participation events at oxbridge .

Did double science at GCSE so no op s dd doesnt have to do triple. But yes to biology and chemistry at A level. Plus one other strong subject.

Did a health related EPQ which gave her material to talk about.

Strong four years worth of volunteering with kids with special needs.

No doctors in family.

Maddieella your dd has strong chance of interview.

Thank you Embrace.

Do you mind me asking which Unis your daughter has offers from? To have 3 is amazing, she must have really shone.

I echo previous posters to also focus on those soft skills like resilience, time management, having difficult conversations, maybe even mindfulness and managing your own mental health and stress.

I always wanted to be a doctor and in particular to be a neuro surgeon and that's what I focussed on but it wasnt until I did work experience in a hospital did I realise it wasn't for me. The stress I saw and the way a doctor survived on milk and no food, the hours etc. Finding out that studying and exams isnt just part of the degree but then ongoing for many years. In the end wanting a work life balance won out I only wish I knew sooner because by the time I'd realised I had already got a place at med school so I pivoted fast and through clearing fell into computer science only because my parents were furious at me and would have kicked me out the house if I took a gap year.

In the end by accident I found my passion is project management so worked out well.

Guess my lesson is she may change her mind but if she does be supportive.

Maddieeella offees from Brighton UCL and UEA.
Had interview at Manchester but got rejected but she wasnt fussed

Congratulation to your dd Embracelife.

Well done TippingTulips, all the best with your studies.

honestly on graduation day, watching my child stand with others, to recite the hippocratic oath, was just incredible!
That sounds amazing, you must have burst with pride StillMedusa

We seem to have a St. John’s ambulance cadets group nearby but it's all on hold for now obviously. If anyone has any experience here with he St. John’s ambulance cadets, do you know how often they meet and how old the dc usually are when they join?

St John Ambulance Cadets are from 10-16/18 (depends on area and transition to an adult or uni unit), tend to meet weekly during term time (some meet during school holidays) and each area does offer activities at the weekends (leadership, extended first aid qualifications etc).

I was in SJA as a Cadet and adult member for many years. I knew that I wanted a career in the medical field and it was through the first aid cover at events that I found a love for emergency medicine, the quick decision making and using skills that I learnt to help others. I continued with that passion and now use those skills ateqst three times a week at work! The experience that I gained through SJA was irreplaceable in developing who I am today.

Apart from top class academics, I do think something extra curricular helps. The university will know your DD can multi task and get stellar results at the same time. That’s invaluable.

However the most important thing is “work” experience above extra curricular. SJA is excellent. It’s a big commitment and shows you really want to go forward and be a Doctor. Add in volunteering in an OAP/nursing home or Hospice and this should be fine. See if you can get other medical experience via shadowing. DofE can help if you add in a useful skill you wish to learn and the volunteering is targeted at a medical career. Also have a look at any early open days or career info sessions.

This is brilliant. My DD wanted to be a doctor from age 3. She's now 12 and over the last year has lost interest in everything and no longer leaves her room at all. Doesn't want to be or do anything and hates everything. You are very lucky.

I have worked in intensive care for a while and every year we have a young person on a gap year come and work as an HCA for a year for experience and to earn some money before med school.

I'd say medicine as a career is a lot less about science and much more about communication, compassion, time management, resilience, team work.

If she is interested in science then she should do science.

I'd suggest doing things relating to volunteering, meeting people from all walks of life, sports or anything else that will build resilience.

It is difficult as a lot of children focus on being a doctor to the exclusion of anything else, without a lot of idea of what being a doctor is. I know because I was one of them.

The best thing you can do is be encouraging while trying to get her to see what doctors actually do, instead of what she thinks they do, and if she thinks that will be enjoyable as a career.

The point about work experience or volunteering or extracurricular is so you can learn from it and answer interviews and give examples when you were committed or caring or empathetic or problem solving or dealt with a challenge or showed leadership or worked in a team etc.etc. which is why that can come from a range of experiences.

Working in a shop dealing with customers? Yes.

Playing piano on your own to grade 8 standard? What did you learn from it that s relevant? Or to explain why you applying to be a doctor.

But let your dd find her way and do stuff she enjoys.

She has time to try a range of things. Yes it s competitive but if you dont apply you got no chance. And there are other routes in besides the straight from school. And a range of medical careers too.

(Of course learning piano is good but think of range of experiences that teach broader skills)

Work experience and volunteering are key, as well as the academic side.

Having sat through countless medical school subject talks I can categorically state that they really don't care about D of E at all.