To encourage my 9 year old into medicine already?

[SunshiningBetty]

My 9 year old daughter is very mature and academic. From a very young age she has loved anything medical and devours books and TV shows about the body and hospitals. She is desperate to become a doctor already. I am worried about encouraging that too much as I know how hard the life of a junior doctor can be. She is constantly asking to find a club, group, camp or course which would foster her interest but I have had no luck finding anything. Is this something I should help her pursue already and does anyone have any ideas of what she could do? Or should I stick to something more neutral like brownies?

Doctors need to be well rounded people who can interact with their patients, no matter how scientific and academic they are. Every year there are thousands of would-be medical students with perfect grades who don't get in. They will be the ones who don't show they can deal with patients, etc.

You would be better to give her a general, well-rounded childhood. She can start focusing on her future when she's 12-13-14.

Personally I'd encourage a wide range of activities although I did join the St John's Ambulance brigade as a child which sounds like something she'd enjoy. It's fun and social.
I'd be encouraging her to join mainly for the social aspect and seeing the first aid as a bonus and something she's interested in.

I'm not sure you need to encourage her - she's interested in something - let her be interested - maybe try St Johns Ambulance badgers and cadets

It's not going to do her any hard having an interest - I child I used to look after was obsessed with Casualty from an early age - she's now an A+E Nurse - she loves her job - that's a good thing to aim for - a job you like!

I would find YouTube videos, my ds likes science (not medicine) and has learnt loads.

I agree about St John's Ambulance - she can do that when she's 10. Here

She sounds lovely. I wouldn't push her, though. What she wants now and what she wants in 10 years' time might be very different things.

Second St John’s Ambulance (or Badgers for her age) She would learn a lot through them and if she were to continue it would be great experience for uni application. I’ve heard lifeguarding at pools helps so encourage those swimming lessons.

She is constantly asking to find a club, group, camp or course which would foster her interest but I have had no luck finding anything.
Because she's 9... There are no courses for 9 year old would be doctors.
Have you thought about St John's ambulance cadets?

Oh x x post

I agree with pp... doctors spend a lot of time talking to all sorts of people... poorly/young/ old/lovely/annoying/unpleasant.

So anything that gives her lots of exposure to having to interact with a wide range of people will be beneficial, and much more important than any technical knowledge at this stage.

I think it's about balance. So St John's sounds great but can you try and get her to do something musical or artistic too, a sports club etc. Focus on well roundedness,

It’s a bit worrying that you’re worried about encouraging something because it’s hard!
Hard is very often worthwhile.
And if it’s what you want to do - it’s not always even that hard.

She’s 9. Relax!

There’s so much on the internet to feed her interest, so just let her follow it.

I've tried, I've really tried, but it's St John Ambulance. No 's', no apostrophe.

@luckylavender

I've tried, I've really tried, but it's St John Ambulance. No 's', no apostrophe.

YABU. Encourage her interests and also give her opportunities to try new things. To succeed in medicine you need a LOT more than good grades and an interest in the human body, and it's seven years before she has to make any kind of decision (which A levels to take).

This is the time to show her how many different paths are open to her, not to encourage her into a certain one.

I wouldn’t try to steer them in any direction, although by all means support them!

Stealth boast about how advanced and mature your child is?! 🙄

Anyway, as PP have said, St John Ambulance cadets/badgers. And there are a number of medical careers if she remains interested - paramedic, nurse etc. No need to push doctor...

Can you explain what you mean by she is 'desperate' to become a doctor? Surely you just mean she wants to be a doctor when she grows up?

As others have suggested, try St John Ambulance when she's old enough and she may/may not feel the same way in a few years.

You're not raising a doctor, you're raising a child.

I currently work with someone applying to medicine at various universities, she's currently working in a supermarket. It's certainly giving her chance to develop people skills and dealing with difficult customers and how to go about it, it also demonstrates she can handle a-levels and working part time (think she does about 12-16 hours term time). She also has other hobbies which I think universities are looking for too, they like the academics but it's all they're looking for (well rounded people who are academic).

My teenage best friend also went into medicine although isn't a doctor and she would echo that they want to see a person not just grades. She also didn't stick to straight sciences at GCSE and A-level (long way off yet) and did art and English literature as well as the sciences.

I'd make sure she's not just focusing on one hobby/interest but is exploring everything she's interested in including music, sport, art etc.

I agree with encouraging her to try lots of different activities as well as joining St John's Ambulance to encourage her interest.

She might like this:
www.amazon.co.uk/Janod-J05491-Body-Magnet/dp/B004MMFBL0/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Janod+Magnetic+Body+Puzzle+Human&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1616080517&sr=8-1

One of my DC also had children's anatomy models, a stethoscope and a microscope at that age. We also did things like swabbing surfaces and growing things on petri dishes, the classic "which has more germs, the loo or the chopping board?" experiment. She might like an anatomy colouring book too.

FWIW, it was my DC that loved aeroplanes, flight simulators and wanted to be a pilot at that age was the one that decided to go to medical school

I agree that encouraging broad interests and an open mind to future career options would be the best way at this stage. There are so many other opportunities and options that can be missed, even within the huge range of biomedical sciences, if you encourage her to focus too much on becoming a doctor. Plus if for some reason she didn't get into med school or realised it didn't suit her it can make it a lot harder to change career if you're family and friends know you've been invested in it since being a child. I've known people who've stuck with medicine for far too long even though they hated the job because "its all I've ever wanted to do"

18/3/2031
AIBU
When I was 9 my DM pushed me towards Medicine.
What I really want to do is Music as LIPA. Would IBU if I told her it’s my life and I want to pursue my passion not hers?

@ghostyslovesheets

I'm not sure you need to encourage her - she's interested in something - let her be interested - maybe try St Johns Ambulance badgers and cadets

It's not going to do her any hard having an interest - I child I used to look after was obsessed with Casualty from an early age - she's now an A+E Nurse - she loves her job - that's a good thing to aim for - a job you like!

Same, A&E nurse as well after being obsessed with Casualty!

Some 9yos know perfectly well what they want to do, and other 49yos don't! My brother knew at that age he wanted to be a geologist, he was obsessed. Thankfully people encouraged his interest, and he has been working in that field for nearly 30 years.

St John's Ambulance and a musical instrument (tell her so she has dexterity, helpful if she wants to be a surgeon) 😁

@luckylavender I hear you!
I am always surprised (and a tad irritated) that most people get it wrong.