DS16 torn between medicine, engineering and comp sci.

SassyBear2 · 2025-09-09T21:06:34+00:00

My DS16 has just started sixth form and asked me for advice about his A-level/degree options, but I don’t really know enough to guide him properly. Thought I’d ask here as lots of you have been through this stage with your DC. He’s logical, good at problem-solving and strongest in computer science, chemistry and physics. He loves programming and would happily study computer science at uni, but he’s worried the job market isn’t secure and that AI could replace programming roles. Because of that he’s now looking at medicine or engineering as alternatives. He wants a career that’s interesting, not monotonous, and where he can keep learning and progressing. He’s asking which of the two (medicine or engineering) might suit that better, and also which career is more secure in the long run. His specific questions: - How is the engineering job market at the moment? - Do doctors in the UK earn more than engineers on average? - Which offers more variety and long-term progression? TL;DR: DS16 is strong in science and comp sci, logical, curious and hates monotony. He’s torn between computer science, engineering and medicine. How do the job prospects and earnings compare, especially with AI in the mix?

Original poster

SassyBear2 · 09/09/2025 22:14

bump bump

OP posts:

ExcitingRicotta · 09/09/2025 22:16

At the most senior levels doctor salaries are slightly higher than typical senior engineering. I think most doctors have the opportunity to earn more though with locus shifts etc. and time off in lieu for anti social hours worked.

Engineering is a lot more 9-5 though without the commitment to nights/weekends and years of training and having less control over where you work.

They're very different careers though… is he more interested in a technical/consulting career or a people/social centred one?

Engineering also leads well into other forms of consultancy/finance and project management.

HushTheNoise · 09/09/2025 22:16

I don't think you decide to be a doctor based on pay, think you need a real passion for it.

ExcitingRicotta · 09/09/2025 22:18

Ps. Both offer lots of ongoing learning and progression and good (and well rounded!) engineers are always in demand.

Whatatodo79 · 09/09/2025 22:19

i'm a doctor. I wouldn't want my child to be one in the UK. If despite that they still really wanted to then that's all well and good, but if it's in the balance the other option is better

AlexandraJJ · 09/09/2025 22:20

I’d be hoping they’d choose engineering

Farmhouse1234 · 09/09/2025 22:23

From what I see around me in the NHS and also hear from my doctor friends - I would only advise a career in medicine if you have a real passion for it, as in - you really couldn’t imagine being happy doing anything else.
its a long old slog to get to a consultant and high pay - one full of exams and more exams (which you pay for) and being shunted around to work in places that aren’t necessarily of your choosing.
hats off to anyone who manages this!

happy to be corrected by any actual doctors.

WetBandits · 09/09/2025 22:24

If pay is a factor in choosing between engineering or medicine, I’d choose engineering. Nobody in healthcare should be in it for the pay!

ChuffingNoraah · 09/09/2025 22:26

Agree, medicine only if he’s really passionate about the subject area and has the required altruistic drive, as I can tell you for free it’s not worth doing it for the money… (here speaks the bitter voice of experience)

FortyFacedFuckers · 09/09/2025 22:36

Agree with the other posts unless he really wanted to be a doctor I would advise against it

MackenCheese · 09/09/2025 22:39

Farmhouse1234 · 09/09/2025 22:23

From what I see around me in the NHS and also hear from my doctor friends - I would only advise a career in medicine if you have a real passion for it, as in - you really couldn’t imagine being happy doing anything else.
its a long old slog to get to a consultant and high pay - one full of exams and more exams (which you pay for) and being shunted around to work in places that aren’t necessarily of your choosing.
hats off to anyone who manages this!

happy to be corrected by any actual doctors.

I am a doctor, and you've hit the nail on the head!

Dappy777 · 09/09/2025 22:42

If I had his sort of mind (I don't, I lean 100% towards the humanities), I'd go for medicine. Actually, I'd study medicine and biochemistry. We are on the brink of a medical revolution. What with AI, gene editing, stem cells, medical nanobots, immunotherapy and senolytic drugs, we could soon cure most forms of cancer and even reverse human ageing. To be involved in that would be amazing.

Offleyhoo · 09/09/2025 22:45

Definitely don't do medicine based on salary! I can hardly think of a more worthwhile career BUT I'd only want my children to do it if they were so keen to be a doctor that they couldn't countenance doing anything else.
One of mine has an engineering degree and it has stood him in very good stead, loads of career options open to him and he had secured a great job before he graduated. Many different branches, many options. Great choice of degree I think. Your ds would need strong maths for engineering which I don't think you've mentioned?

PatChaunceysFruitCake · 09/09/2025 22:51

ExcitingRicotta · 09/09/2025 22:16

At the most senior levels doctor salaries are slightly higher than typical senior engineering. I think most doctors have the opportunity to earn more though with locus shifts etc. and time off in lieu for anti social hours worked.

Engineering is a lot more 9-5 though without the commitment to nights/weekends and years of training and having less control over where you work.

They're very different careers though… is he more interested in a technical/consulting career or a people/social centred one?

Engineering also leads well into other forms of consultancy/finance and project management.

DH is an engineer and his experience is very different to what you describe so I think perhaps it’s a diverse field and you can make what you want of it.

He took four years of additional study to gain chartered status after a masters. Agree that’s less than a Dr but it still takes years to fully qualify.

He has worked all over the world due to his specialism and definitely wasn’t 9-5 for the first 20 years of his career. The extensive travel and working all hours is common amongst his uni friends.

Now he’s in a senior role he travels a bit less and keeps something closer to office hours.

He earns more than most Drs once bonus is factored in. His pension isn’t anywhere near as good as NHS though so perhaps it evens out when that is factored in.

I do agree they are very different careers though.

Offleyhoo · 09/09/2025 22:51

Dappy777 · 09/09/2025 22:42

If I had his sort of mind (I don't, I lean 100% towards the humanities), I'd go for medicine. Actually, I'd study medicine and biochemistry. We are on the brink of a medical revolution. What with AI, gene editing, stem cells, medical nanobots, immunotherapy and senolytic drugs, we could soon cure most forms of cancer and even reverse human ageing. To be involved in that would be amazing.

Excellent points in favour of medicine. Engineering also amazing in terms of tech innovation and healthcare advances.

ExcitingRicotta · 09/09/2025 23:00

PatChaunceysFruitCake · 09/09/2025 22:51

DH is an engineer and his experience is very different to what you describe so I think perhaps it’s a diverse field and you can make what you want of it.

He took four years of additional study to gain chartered status after a masters. Agree that’s less than a Dr but it still takes years to fully qualify.

He has worked all over the world due to his specialism and definitely wasn’t 9-5 for the first 20 years of his career. The extensive travel and working all hours is common amongst his uni friends.

Now he’s in a senior role he travels a bit less and keeps something closer to office hours.

He earns more than most Drs once bonus is factored in. His pension isn’t anywhere near as good as NHS though so perhaps it evens out when that is factored in.

I do agree they are very different careers though.

Show quote history

Chartership is completely different to years of being a junior doctor - a one off exam and interview which your company pays for alongside a consistent job (if you wish).

I’d be very surprised if your husband had to do nightshifts and weekends like doctors do… the odd late night here and there is typical but not an expectation in the same way, and as you say you can step back from it as you progress.

Travel is an option with both.

I think consultant salaries are up to ~150k? Most engineering directors aren’t earning that unless very senior management in multilayered large orgs, or v specialised.

PermanentTemporary · 09/09/2025 23:06

I would have loved ds to be an engineer so I’m biased. He chose Compsci and of course I’m happy he chose a path for himself, but to me engineering is the most amazing training and the broadest range of possible careers.

Medicine if he loves it and it’s the only thing for him. He should look out for bank shifts in a care home.

Limoncellospritzlover · 09/09/2025 23:10

I have a son who’s a mechanical engineer and a daughter who’s a 4th year doctor. Son was always very strong in Maths and Physics
Daughter was a good all rounder. She studied Biology, Chem and Maths A level. Biology is obviously v useful for medicine.

There is no comparison IMO in terms of stress experienced and the resilience required by doctors. They hit the ground running in terms of responsibility and on low pay for the job they do. After the compulsory 2 years as a foundation doctor they then have a very stressful scramble to get onto specialist training. A lot don’t get on or get their choice due to the several hurdles in terms of exams and building a portfolio.
My engineer son has progressed well since completing his Masters. He is in a management role and now Chartered. His job has stresses but no comparison to DD.
He has managed to move jobs within his industry. Think there’s much more routine in my son’s role compared to my daughter’s.
In terms of variety - in medicine you are meeting different people every day and no 2 patients are the same which could be stimulating but you have to like people and some can be very difficult. My daughter is very good at her job but I wish she had gone into engineering!

cestlavielife · 09/09/2025 23:11

Medicine ..where is his caring side? Does,he love working with kids or old people or customer facing ?
He can always do grad medicine later if he chooses engineering first

clary · 09/09/2025 23:15

What A levels is he doing @SassyBear2 ?

Bc that's key tbh unless he is happy to switch. Is he taking maths - he needs that for engineering?

I don't have direct knowledge of medicine currently but it's something you need to be really driven to do tbh.

Myjobisridiculous · 09/09/2025 23:16

The fact that he’s even considering engineering means he shouldn’t do medicine!
If you’re not 100% medicine you’ll never survive. And if you do you’ll regret it

IndieRocknRoll · 09/09/2025 23:18

I agree with @ExcitingRicotta
My DH studied for an MEng which was paid for by his company before becoming chartered. I don’t recall the chartership being a huge deal. I think he was able to use the projects he was working on or things he’d worked on in the past as evidence.
He works for a global company so the option to travel is there but he tends to avoid it at all costs!
There is the odd late night or bit of work at the weekend but it’s not frequent. It’s pretty much 9-5 really. He also gets to WFH quite a bit which is a bonus.
Its definitely more family friendly for us than I imagine medicine would have been!

Original poster

SassyBear2 · 09/09/2025 23:40

Thanks so much for all the replies they're really helpful

OP posts:

marnieMiaou · 09/09/2025 23:41

If he only started his A level courses a week ago, he might not cut the mustard for any of those 3.

HurtyFeels · 09/09/2025 23:45

What about something like biomedical engineering that brings together engineering and medicine?

There are a lot of other career paths that are medical without being patient facing. There might be a loss of entry level programming jobs due to AI but we still need people to be doing the high level stuff, like creating the best algorithms to use all the biobank data that is being collected for example.

Edited to add - what a-levels is he doing at the moment? Is he taking maths because most engineering and CS routes will need maths (and further maths for the top universities).