Encouraging Your Child’s Dream: Steps to Support Aspiring Doctors

Your little one is showing a lot of curiosity towards the medical field. Or maybe they have let you know that they wish to pursue a medical career in the future. 

If that’s the case, you’ll definitely want to do everything you can to nurture and support that dream from an early age. But where do you even start? 

Don’t let these thoughts give you sleepless nights. This guide is going to take you through a few steps to get you and your little one prepared for this huge dream. 

1. Spark Curiosity

Maybe your little one is just obsessed with how the human body works. You’ll want to keep stoking that fire. Whenever they hit you with those random, borderline-inappropriate body questions (and you know they will), don’t shut it down. Instead, read up together on children’s anatomy books that explain it all in a fun, age-appropriate way. 

And if they’re old enough to understand, you can both explore institutions together and look at Kansas medical school admission guide or any other university they fancy. This way, they’ll see what’s in store for them along the way and prepare accordingly.  

The bottom line? Keep nurturing that sense of awe and wonder about the human body. It’ll serve them down the road if they finally end up in medical school. 

2. Look For Volunteer Opportunities

Of course, your child can’t rely on books and videos alone. You’ve also got to give them a first-hand look at the real deal. Lots of hospitals and clinics have student volunteer programs specifically for young people curious about healthcare jobs. Scope those out. 

Your child can get to trail an amazing pediatrician on rounds or help out at a community clinic. They can get a raw, unfiltered peek at the organized chaos, the teamwork, and the tenderness it takes to do this job right. 

It could absolutely solidify their calling. Or maybe they’ll realize that they prefer another path after all. Whatever happens, just being in that environment can go a long way. 

3. Offer Academic Support

Medical schools are very competitive. That’s why you should make sure your future doctor has a flawless academic record behind them, especially in the hard sciences and math. 

But you don’t have to just hope for the best and leave them to it. Get invested in their studies too. If they start struggling with a subject, don’t hesitate to bring in outside help like tutors or supplemental learning programs. Also, never hesitate to advocate for them if you sense they need more support or an academic challenge to keep them stimulated. 

4. Develop Well-Rounded Skills

Stellar grades are just one piece of the pie when it comes to getting into a top-notch med program. The admissions team often wants to see that your kid’s got the full package — great communication abilities, a proven talent for leadership and teamwork, finely-tuned critical thinking, etc. 

So, by all means, keep them hustling hard in the classroom. But also encourage participation in extracurriculars that’ll hone those critical soft skills. Debate teams, for instance, are amazing for building quick thinking and public speaking prowess. Or, by joining the student council, they can master the arts of communication, collaboration and conflict resolution. 

5. Prepare For Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)

As your kid starts zeroing in on those undergrad years, you’ll want to get them mentally prepared for the MCAT. This multi-hour exam puts their mastery of all those prerequisite sciences and reasoning skills to the ultimate test. 

There are tons of fantastic MCAT prep courses and resources online designed to get them acclimated to the format, content, and strategies for conquering this academic ritual. So, spend some time researching the different options as that college transition gets closer. 

6. Set Realistic Expectations

You’ve got to ensure your child understands just how grueling and demanding this trek to becoming a doctor really is. That’s a decade-plus of higher education between undergrad, medical school, and those notoriously intense residency years. Not to mention the financial strain of paying student debt. 

Then there’s the job itself — the erratic hours, the life-or-death stakes, the inevitable traumatic situations they’ll inevitably have to cope with. But, that said, you’ll also want to reinforce the infinite rewards and blessings that come with this career. 

Talk about the profound ability to tangibly improve lives and alleviate suffering every single day. Ultimately, only your child can decide if this is the right extraordinarily difficult yet extraordinarily meaningful path for them to pursue. 

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, choosing to pursue medicine is one of the most admirable, selfless callings out there. But it’s also among the most demanding roads your little one can take.  

By following the steps covered in this guide, you’re giving your aspiring doctor kid an incredible head start. Your unwavering support can go a long way toward making that dream a reality.