Doctor? It's a big job when you're only 4

Four-year-old Sammy Hook is a smart kid, but she hopes that request forms for references for a surgery fellowship at North Shore Hospital, sent to her address, were meant for another Samantha Hook. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Samantha Hook is good at circus tricks but she thinks a job in orthopaedics might be just a bit too tricky.

Still, a four-year-old girl feels special when she is offered a year-long fellowship in arthroplasty, or joint replacement, at North Shore Hospital.

It's a bit of a giggle, mum Yvonne reckons, when her daughter is still learning things like her thigh bone's connected to her knee bone - Sammy is no Doogie Howser child prodigy.

The Coatesville family received employment forms from the hospital on Thursday morning seeking references for Samantha Elisabeth Hook.

Little Sammy, whose middle name is Margaret, has had tests before at the hospital, which is how her name came to be in its system.

"We thought it was pretty funny, especially since she could have had a job before she had even started school," Mrs Hook said.

"We would love to send her off to work. It wouldn't be bad going at all."

Older sister Ashley, 7, was having a go at balancing Sammy on her feet when the Weekend Herald visited.

The girls said they were keen on the circus, but having a doctor in the family would be just as cool.

Sammy's first thought was what she would wear.

A dental nurse visited playcentre the other day and left her a face mask, but she was right out of doctors' coats in the dress-up box.

The kit wasn't totally empty, though. "I've got some gloves."

But Sammy still wasn't sure if being a doctor was really her, for one simple reason. "I'm 4."

Keeping your options open, then?

"Yep, hehehehe."

A statement by Waitemata District Health Board chief executive officer Dave Davies said: "Waitemata DHB can confirm this form has been filled in at Waitemata DHB and sent in error.

"We sincerely apologise for this.

"We will be reviewing all systems to ensure this does not happen again - and indeed that process is already under way with the areas of Waitemata DHB concerned."