Not sure teen DS can succeed in his chosen career

[WorldMap24]

DS is in year 11 and we are looking at college / sixth form options right now for next September. Applications need to be in, in January.

DS has decided that he would like to become an Oncologist. This is 'new' in that it hasn't been his life long dream, but he has been fixed on medicine / healthcare for a good few months. Suggestions of working in the NHS but not becoming a doctor (e.g. Dietician / Psychologist / Pharmacist) have been considered, but ultimately he always comes back to wanting to do med school.

My worries......I feel such a rubbish mum for saying this, but number one is that he won't get the grades he would need. I'm told that when applying for doctor roles GCSE's are still looked at, and while my son is bright he is not a straight 9 student. He is currently predicted mostly 6's and 7's, with effort I think he will get 7's in all sciences and maths. Similarly, for A Level, as much as I support him in every way and haven't told him that he can't do it, I think it extremely unlikely he will get all A's.
Number two, we are basing his A-Level choices now on this career path, so Biology, Chemistry and Maths. He enjoys Biology, he is reasonably good at the others but I don't think he looks forward to the lessons. I don't want him to potentially quit A-Levels as he doesn't like the subjects.
Number three, if Chemistry isn't something he looks forward to now how would he ever cope with med school?
Number four, I'm worried he will be squeamish! I think his current choice of end goal (Oncology) is with the thought he wouldn't see lots and lots of blood, or broken bones etc. I did point out to him that he would still have plenty to see during training and he reckons he can cope fine when it isn't his own blood. DS is a fainter and faints whenever he is physically sick. He also faints during injections. Maybe he would be fine if it's not happening to him, but I suffer similar to him with the fainting (GP has been seen and we are told it is genetic) and I also go faint if some things go on around me - for example, I almost fainted when DD got a cannula put in - so I worry he will be the same.

I don't know what to do in this situation. What would you all do? Discourage this altogether and encourage different A-Levels that he would enjoy more? Let this play out and hope that by the time we apply for Uni he has changed his mind? Or just encourage all the way and hope he makes it in his chosen career?

The PS isn’t being scrapped, and I don’t know why the media keep saying it is. It is simply being “scaffolded” by being split into 3 question headings so that applicants have a better chance of understanding what is required. It’s all in the public domain:

The new questions are as follows:

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

https://www.ucas.com/advisers/help-and-training/guides-resources-and-training/pre-application-support/personal-statements-2026-entry-onwards

If it were my DS then I'd explore what it was about oncology that particularly appealed, then I'd put forward a range of alternative options that may be more achievable but still held an aspect of what attracted him. A little bit like if he was intent on being a rock star, he could look at other roles in the music industry as well in the (likely!) event his dream didn't work out. So if its working to help with cancer..well, there are multiple options from nursing through to laboratory work, to welfare support to charities and fund raising. A plethora of roles where he could play a part in helping people with the disease, or contributing to knowledge of prevention and treatment. He needs to broaden his pool of possibilities.

For what it's worth, my DD decided to to do A level biology. Despite being warned it was a very hard A level, she was determined. She got a 7 at GCSE, is now in Yr 13, and has been predicted an A* and finding it the easiest of the three A levels she decided to take (the other two are humanities).

He could do another undergraduate degree (usually in a related subject) with lower entry requirements and then a 4 year graduate entry medicine programme? (If you/he can afford it.) It might be a lower pressure way to decide if medicine is right for him.

Is it possible that he could get those higher grades if he put more effort in or do you genuinely think he is just not the right level of bright for medicine? I work in the NHS in admin so have quite a few dr friends and they are not all 'top GCSE' students, some had to resit A levels etc, it definitely is possible IF he can obtain those grades at some point.
Sometimes it takes failing to achieve the grades first time round to motivate someone to pull their socks up. I would suggest medtubers like Faye Bate and Ali Abdul who have loads and loads of content about scientifically backed study methods to improve grades, Faye in particular I believe did badly in her A levels the first time and got 4 rejections, she is now a dr in London meaning she achieved very high in her med degree (because where you go is based on your rank and London is most competitive). Tbh I'd recommend those channels anyway for kids taking exams soon as we are not really taught how to study efficiently at school. GEM is an option but it is more competitive than undergrad medicine.
Also check the subject requirements as surprisingly most med undergrads require chemistry plus another science so typically biology, but maths is not usually required, he could do chem, bio, and something else.
Would also encourage work experience as if he is squeamish he is going to have to deal with the blood, the sick and the guts during placements and FYs at least, probably beyond too, so he might do it and see it's not for him.

Post grad medicine is even more competitive than undergrad.

Newcastle university has the option of transferring to medicine after the first year of biomedical sciences, providing that you achieve a first in your end of year exams, have the right UCAT score and meet all the other requirements.

Dc took Biology A level despite 'only' getting a 7.6 in combined science GCSES. She got an A with some extra tutoring. She's doing physiotherapy but regrets not trying for medicine

Taking science and maths a levels will do him well and give lots of options for university when the time comes. I know 3 or 4 people who did science degrees like biochemistry and then went to medical school in their 30’s - it can be done! Often slightly older people are better suited to it!

Don’t worry too much at this point op, you just have his back and let the universities decide whether to take him or not. if they don’t you can be there for him without him feeling “everyone” is against him

Maybe research focus on oncology… start with a less competitive degree like biomedical science and move along to a PhD. And he can avoid blood and guts and anything else that’s makes him squeamish.

OP, you may want to help him explore the why behind this choice... oncology is such an emotive issue- you can be pulled into it not because it aligns with your unique gifts and joy, but because eg someone you loved died of cancer, or you saw something very moving about it, or even you feel you must do something good, that would always have moral status in others eyes... perhaps there is something under his request that needs help to relax...

Maybe help him focus on his gifts and what he would love. Ask him what would make him happy about working in this area, and which of his strengths he'd be bringing to do it really well.... this could help identify the underlying purpose of his interest, and maybe lead to considering other ways to fulfill it.

I'm not sure if I read it or just thought it up, but I tend to think about choosing what you do as ideally the intersection between your joy, your gifts, and what the world needs.... that might be a nice angle to explore?

I wasn’t a straight A student but had my mind fixed on being a solicitor from year 10. I just scraped the GCSEs needed to go to college, did a vocational law course which I failed the final exam but didn’t give up. I went back, pursued a legal secretary qualification and worked my way up until I left to work for the NHS in a different, underpaid, undervalued and a role I was overqualified for. I’ve had the full support of my parents and even though my mom told me I was over qualified for the job and advised me not to take it she still supported me when I did.

what im saying is it doesn’t matter how well you do at GCSEs etc its how bad you want something and if you want it bad enough you’ll put in the work. Support your son and offer help where needed/asked for and if he doesn’t make it don’t say I told you so. If he realises he’s not cut out for it, be supportive and suggest alternatives using the skills he does have

Oncology involves a great deal of injections as part of treatment. I used to mentor Y11. Sometimes it's about explaining what they'd need to achieve to do a certain job and helping them set realistic goals. And othertimes it's about making them realise there are other job roles within their chosen field. One student wanted to be a Dr, then a Hospital Nurse. When she evaluated what she actually wanted to do with the grades she hoped to get she decided to do Health and Social Care and train to be a Health Care Assistant with a view to becoming a nurse through a more vocational route.

If he's not good with bodily fluids or injections then I suspect Oncology isn't for him in any capacity but he needs to realise this for himself. Those are decent Science based A-levels and will make a wide variety of careers available including Oncology Research.

Please don’t discourage him. The best lessons are ones we learn ourselves.

He has many ‘reality checks’ that will happen naturally:

• studying for and taking his GCSE exams
• Achieving at A level
• Work experience
• Entry exams

If you suspect it isn’t right for him, why not help him gain work experience so he can find out himself

One of the best anaesthetists I ever worked with who was a consultant and head of department by early 40s; also didn’t get the grades to do medicine straight from a levels but did do a pharmacy degree or similar then went on to do medicine at uni. It was a few years longer. Got some credits for the first degree against the medicine degree etc. yes was longer at university but came good in the end. Some people are late developers. It may be possible. This is potentially a good career plan and see what happens.

A level options evening must be soon (ours is in 2 weeks, for example ) Can you share your concerns with his head of year in advance,so that they can guide him appropriately on the evening? Also there will be teachers there that can get him really motivated for other subjects (especially if they tell him how well he's done in them.) A student may well pay more heed to what the school is telling him than his parents 🙃 I do so feel for you and well done on everything you're doing already to ensure his future options stay open x

I'm going to say, YABU.
it doesn't sound like he's got what it takes, but if he TRIES he's going to end up with some valuable qualifications. they may not take him in the direction he currently wants, but they are good ones to have. if he's striving for that, and doesn't make it, he's still going to have a really good and useful education. even if he doesn't go into a line of work that uses them, Biology and Chemistry tend to be respected.

if he's squeamish, there may be plenty of other Healthcare roles that are less at the forefront of that kind of thing. maybe something like Dentistry. I was a dental nurse for some years, and it's not always pleasant, but it's rarely properly gory. but it's quite satisfying. maybe look into becoming a hygienist. I mostly worked with the hygienist and really enjoyed it. that way, you might get some bleeding gums, but you're not doing extractions and so on. I loved it when I was working with the hygienist.

qualifications aiming towards something medical are never going to hold him back. there are a lot of career paths they could open out ahead of him. maybe something like physiotherapy,

and not one that really needs the qualifications, but they won't hurt, my husband used to be a hospital porter, and it was one of his favourite jobs ever.

even if he did get lost once, and end up wheeling a patient into a surgery room during a surgery 😂

Physio is great though. a very good achievement, and knowing how the human body works is always going to be a useful transferable skill.

A friend’s daughter is now a Dr and trained using a different path, not strictly academic. I believe now she’s done this training and is a Dr, she can now specialise.

It must have been academic when at university though.

My advice is just support him but tell him the grades he would need and to work solidly towards them. He will need to understand the amount of work required if he got as far as doing a medical degree.
I'd research plan b in case plan a doesn't go to plan.
Would tutoring help him do you think to get his grades up?

Like others have said just make sure he is aware of the grades needed and how long the training is before he can specialise. Then it’s up to him. Those a levels are good subjects so could open up other possibilities.

I’m an advanced nurse practitioner. I do a similar role to a junior dr in many ways and take histories, interpret tests, diagnose, prescribe etc. Some ANPs/ ACPs run clinics. There are lots of opportunities in the role. Junior drs have to rotate through different specialities whereas i remain in my chosen field. In my trust you have to have been a qualified nurse for 3 or more years before you can apply for a trainee ACP role. The training is then about 3 years plus doing a masters. It’s tough but not as tough as medical school. I absolutely love my job. I would definitely encourage him to look at alternative healthcare roles.

Maybe get him to have some work experience in a care home or get a job as support staff in a hospital, he may then realise he does not cope well with gore and that will solve the other issues. If his end goal is oncology he will need to complete many stages beforehand so will be unavoidable that he won’t see some blood and gore. Do the teachers, career support staff offer any support on what is needed for what future careers or is your son thinking he will get straight As?

Unless he does poorly in GCSEs in which case school won’t let him take A levels- usually need 7 maybe a 6 if prediction was a 7.

taking STEM subjects is never a bad idea. It’s not just medicine- sciences, engineering, computer science. All will give good if not better income and life balance.

if he is squeamish then medicine isn’t great. Not sure but I think before you specialise you need to do rotations.

Really helpful needs to get some advice from a teacher on the type of grades he will get. There's all sorts of reasons why people study medicine and want to become doctors rather than other health related professions, it includes a mix of status, challenges, decision making as well as financial rewards and career progression. He may need proper career advice to find his path.

some dentistry colleges are currently offering taster days for years 10/11. Seems a quicker route, still helping people, well paid and marginally less academic.

just a thought of a drip feed back up plan