Future in Focus: Year 9 Explore Careers in Medicine
13 January 2026
On Monday we welcomed Dr Alex Starkey and his team of doctors and surgeons into school for an inspiring careers workshop with all Year 9 pupils.
The sessions came at a crucial time as pupils prepare to choose their GCSE options, offering a unique insight into the world of medicine. The aim of Dr Starkey’s team is to make medical student cohorts more representative of the general population, and to demonstrate to students of all socio-economic backgrounds that medicine is absolutely a viable career for them.
Each Year 9 class took part in an interactive workshop featuring an introduction to working in medicine, hands-on activities such as chest auscultation and keyhole surgery simulators, alongside diagnosis games and practical discussions.
Pupils described the sessions as “enjoyable,” “informative,” and praised the “interactive and practical elements.” In particular they enjoyed the hands-on activities and learning new medical terms and procedures.
Many pupils left feeling inspired, with some expressing a newfound interest in pursuing medicine as a career.
Lead Practitioner for Personal Development, Ms Smith said, "We appreciate the team giving up their time to inspire pupils into considering medicine as their future career. Teachers and pupils enjoyed the sessions and found all aspects engaging. Hearing our pupils asking intelligent questions and engaging in conversations to gain further insight was a pleasure to hear and a reflection of how their discussion abilities have developed whilst they have been with us. I look forward to working with team again in the future to provide further experiences for other pupils outside of Year 9."
