13yo son struggles with writing and math - is his dream to become a paramedic or combat medic over before it began?

[BananaMilkshake2026]

Our 13yo son struggles with writing and math. He reads well though.
He is very hardworking and respectful and teachers say he is a pleasure to have in class. He gets along well with other kids.
He is doing very well in PE.

He wants to be a combat medic or paramedic and safe some lives.
We had his IQ tested. He has an IQ in the average range and did best on the processing speed scale scoring above average (120) for processing speed. We had him tested for legasthenia and dyskalkulia. He does not have it. He did a little bit, really just a tiny little bit too well on both tests.

We had him tested for ADHD. Not only he does not have it but he even did better on the tests than the average person.

He has worked very hard but still struggles with writing and math and he is beginning to feel very bad about himself.😔

Paramedics/medics need to be able to accurately calculate medication dosages on the go. Maintaining detailed and up to date notes on each patient is also very important in any healthcare related role.

At 13 I wouldn’t rule anything out completely but I do think that he’d struggle if things don’t improve. To be frank OP I’d invest in some good tutoring rather than constantly putting him through needless testing (nobody needs to know their IQ score!!)

Get some tutoring perhaps but there is still time. Also he could consider the armed forces where he could choose medic. Might be worth exploring especially if he enjoys physical exercise. Look at local colleges for courses that might suit him post 16. Some may be more vocational but be able to get him a Btec which could then lead to a uni course that he might like.

It is very rare to know what you want to do at 13 and actually go on to do it. I only know one person whose life took a direct line from what they wanted to do at school, straight the that career. He’ll find his niche eventually. I’d pay for tutoring to help him with his schoolwork regardless of what he thinks he wants to be at this age.