Basic question: If there was a 50/50 chance of being a successful screenwriter (my passion) or being a doctor (I'm interested in it, but not as passionate as I am with writing), what should I do? Tough love appreciated.
Now for the details:
I got accepted into medical school last year and deferred a year to think about it more because I realized that I had to give screenwriting a chance to be sure. Over the past year, after working in writing and entertainment industry related jobs, I learned that I actually have a very good shot at professional success based on being interviewed (final rounds) at major studios to be a writer. I was denied most of the time for lack of experience (they told me this), but not because of writing ability. However, the long term career prospects are terrifying, and I'm not sure if I have the willpower to wade through the horrible conditions writers are put through in entertainment. If I got a studio writing job, however, I probably would have stopped considering medicine during this deferred year.
With medicine, I think it's interesting. I generally enjoy medicine and medicine-topics, but I'm not over-the-moon excited. I think what I care more about if being able to help people through a specialized knowledge in the sciences. There are other professions that do this too, but the truth is there is a fair bit of ego involved. My entire family are also all doctors or pharmacists so their influence is hard to separate from my internalized expectations of myself. As another stream-of-consciousness note, I highly value the stability as well.
Basically, both jobs are ones where people tell me "if you can't imagine doing anything else, then don't do it." I realize I can do medicine first then writing on-the-side/after. I realize I can try writing first then medical school down the line (but this will take many more years). I'm leaning towards the former as of this sentence. Anyway, lots of thoughts. Would appreciate any opinions and thanks for reading.
Now for the details:
I got accepted into medical school last year and deferred a year to think about it more because I realized that I had to give screenwriting a chance to be sure. Over the past year, after working in writing and entertainment industry related jobs, I learned that I actually have a very good shot at professional success based on being interviewed (final rounds) at major studios to be a writer. I was denied most of the time for lack of experience (they told me this), but not because of writing ability. However, the long term career prospects are terrifying, and I'm not sure if I have the willpower to wade through the horrible conditions writers are put through in entertainment. If I got a studio writing job, however, I probably would have stopped considering medicine during this deferred year.
With medicine, I think it's interesting. I generally enjoy medicine and medicine-topics, but I'm not over-the-moon excited. I think what I care more about if being able to help people through a specialized knowledge in the sciences. There are other professions that do this too, but the truth is there is a fair bit of ego involved. My entire family are also all doctors or pharmacists so their influence is hard to separate from my internalized expectations of myself. As another stream-of-consciousness note, I highly value the stability as well.
Basically, both jobs are ones where people tell me "if you can't imagine doing anything else, then don't do it." I realize I can do medicine first then writing on-the-side/after. I realize I can try writing first then medical school down the line (but this will take many more years). I'm leaning towards the former as of this sentence. Anyway, lots of thoughts. Would appreciate any opinions and thanks for reading.