Additional careers/hobbies: Possible as an EM physician?

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Murmurations

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Hey there everybody 🙂

I've been lurking around here for a few months after realizing that I want to pursue a career in medicine. I came here to get a better understanding of everything you need to do, and what medicine is actually like as opposed to shows on t.v.

I'm starting my first year of college this month and I've had a few nights where I couldn't go to sleep because I've wondered if I'd still get to pursue my other passions. I've loved music for as long as I can remember. I've always wanted to be a musician. I've been playing acoustic guitar for almost two years now and am inspired by acoustic players such as: Antoine Dufour, Andy Mckee, Sungha Jung, etc.

I'm also inspired by electric guitar players in bands such as Scale the Summit, Animals As Leaders, Periphery, Iron Maiden (the band responsible for my passion in music), and many others. I've inconveniently drawn a blank.

Anyway, sorry for sort of straying from the topic at hand. The point of all of that was to try to explain my passion for music. Aside from that I have a passion for writing and for film. I hope to be a filmmaker and author one day.

What I wanted to ask from you kind folks is this: If I work part time or just schedule my days correctly, would it be possible to be a musician (I'd just record all my stuff at home. I'm learning how to mix and master and all that good stuff) and maybe play a few local shows a month, be an author, and be a filmmaker that just makes short films on Youtube (although it'd be great to also make a full length movie someday)?

I understand that I can't do it all at once, of course, but I'd be the happiest guy if I could pursue all of my dreams and live a spectacularly balanced life.
 
For sure you could be a musician on the side. But make sure you're passionate about both. It takes a certain amount of passion to get through med school, residency, and an entire career.
 
ActiveDutyMD said:
For sure you could be a musician on the side. But make sure you're passionate about both. It takes a certain amount of passion to get through med school, residency, and an entire career.
Click to expand...
Oh yes, I'd definitely be passionate about both. 🙂
 
It also comes down to how much money you can be happy with. Like you could work 20 days a month and make $200,000 a year, or work 10 days a month and make $100,000 or work 5 days a month a make $50,000 as an attending. Which sounds like a lot of money but suddenly you have 2 kids and a family and $200,000 in med school debt and working 5 days a mont isn't nearly enough. But there is definately balancing that is possible.
 
Full time faculty physician here. I'm also a musician. I recorded three albums during med school/residency, and I recorded an EP and a full length album after residency. I still play shows with some regularity. Touring extensively would be tough, but if you want to do a 1-2 week tour, it's totally doable.

Now, can you be a doctor, an author, a film maker AND a musician? Probably not if you want to do them all well, but that's not really what you were asking.
 
I should clarify that at every point in my career there have been periods when music had to take a back seat to my education/training/work. You can make time for hobbies, but if you want to be a doc there are going to be times when that will need to take priority.
 
Yeah I was also wondering about this. I've recently gotten interested in the field and I wanted to also become a voice actor as a side career.
 
Voice actor ? That's cool. Good luck, bud - strangely enough, voice acting appealed to me as a middle schooler, as did pretty much every aspect of animation. I wanted to draw the cartoons, make them speak, give them personality, etc.

Good luck.
 
I would like to be a particle physicist, neurosurgeon, test pilot, and rock musician


[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiwbZfxIp0M[/YOUTUBE]
 
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I would love to be a doctor and a cop.
 
LaCasta said:
I would love to be a doctor and a cop.
Click to expand...

During residency, look into working with a local SWAT team. For a fellowship, look at the GEMSS fellowship at UTSW in Dallas. A guy a year ahead of me in residency was one of the first 2 fellows, and is now the city police medical director - er, "Police Surgeon".
 
That was the most awesome post I've read in this thread. A cop doc, can you imagine? Kill a guy then revive him. Pure awesome.
 
I've heard legends about a EM doc that is also on the Los Angeles PD SWAT team.
 
Poetic Silence said:
That was the most awesome post I've read in this thread. A cop doc, can you imagine? Kill a guy then revive him. Pure awesome.
Click to expand...

And then kill him again.

I have spoken with one EM doc who is also a cop. He doesn't just work with the police department -- he's certified in the state as an officer. Always thought that was seriously awesome.
 
Seems like such a strange combo, but I guess a few make it work.
 
Cops = Law Enforcement Officers.

Doesn't mean they kill for the heck of it.

Know one who's a fighter pilot (Navy).

Knew another EM doc who was in DevGrp.
 
Apollyon said:
During residency, look into working with a local SWAT team. For a fellowship, look at the GEMSS fellowship at UTSW in Dallas. A guy a year ahead of me in residency was one of the first 2 fellows, and is now the city police medical director - er, "Police Surgeon".
Click to expand...

OMG

I had no idea that it was a realy possibility to do stuff like that. I may have finally found my calling.Thanks.

What kind of work can you do as a EM resident with the SWAT team?
 
The guy I mentioned worked with the city SWAT team when he was a resident. He did a lot of the drills, and, although I don't think he was ever sworn in as an officer - maybe a peace officer - I believe he did do at least one entry - I think it was high-risk warrant service.

He didn't "do" a lot as a resident, but, as a fellow, he and the other fellow cric'd a lieutenant on scene that got shot in the neck.

I mean, he LIVES "doc with a gun". Ironically, he wasn't and isn't, per se, a "gun nut".
 
I know a couple EM residents that are also police officers with the sheriff's department. They go out on weekends and such kicking down doors. Or so they claim 😉
And they had to go through the police academy and all that.
 
Most EM docs in my community enjoy coaching high school and middle school sports. Some of the FM docs too.
 
I beleive the Loma Linda residency has ties so their residents can train to work as a sheriffs deputy and the search and rescue squad too.

cant remember perfectly.
 
One of the guys in my group works with the Austin SWAT team.

Another one of my friends also rolls with them. The kicker, though....he's an interventional cardiologist! Dude looks more like an orthopod, though.
 
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