anyone coming from art/film/media?

[zellantus]

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Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone here is coming from an art/film/media background? What made you decide to switch to medicine? I'm an artist and filmmaker and did some independent work for a little bit. But I became unsatisfied as time passed because I felt like it wasn't fulfilling enough to simply "entertain" people for a living. I still love making art and films, but I can't see myself doing it full time as a career anymore.

 

[fraggle]

I start med school in August, but I graduated with a BFA in graphic design and worked as an illustrator. I’d always been interested in medicine, but never thought about going to med school until a few years ago when I realized I didn’t enjoy being an art *****. I also still like to draw, paint, etc (I don’t have much time for that anymore). I’d just rather do it for enjoyment, and not cuz some magazine editor/art director-wannabe told me exactly what he wanted me to illustrate for his article 😉

 

[MollyMalone]

I start med school in August, but I graduated with a BFA in graphic design and worked as an illustrator. I’d always been interested in medicine, but never thought about going to med school until a few years ago when I realized I didn’t enjoy being an art *****. I also still like to draw, paint, etc (I don’t have much time for that anymore). I’d just rather do it for enjoyment, and not cuz some magazine editor/art director-wannabe told me exactly what he wanted me to illustrate for his article 😉

You have an awesome screen name. Congrats on getting in and good luck with med school!

I started out college as a dbl major in Drama/English. I had much the same revelation as you, zellantus, after I took a summer job as a CNA.

 

[NY Musicologist]

I'm coming--slowly--from music (first a performer of it, currently a historian), which is not the same as art/film/media but nevertheless closer than, say, biochem. One significant element of my thought process has been the realization that, whereas I can always be involved in music/music history on an amateur/avocational basis, it's far more difficult to be an amateur/avocational physician!

(Before anyone asks, I don't really have any interest in music therapy!)

Best of luck to you,
NYM

 

[HighSpeed]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone here is coming from an art/film/media background? What made you decide to switch to medicine? I'm an artist and filmmaker and did some independent work for a little bit. But I became unsatisfied as time passed because I felt like it wasn't fulfilling enough to simply "entertain" people for a living. I still love making art and films, but I can't see myself doing it full time as a career anymore.

Wow, surprised and pleased that their's somebody from that field. My media background was with the US Army. It was very enjoyable. It is a wonderful field to come from because it gives you a unique perspective when in school and when dealing with patients.

Wow, maybe we might get to know each other. I certainly have some art projects planned. The two main characters in the current project (just started) are in the healthcare field too. The main character is a veteran nurse & an Anaesthesiology student while the second is an RN student. Pretty exciting coincidence to see this thread. Good luck with your career 🙂

HighSpeed

 

[njbmd]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone here is coming from an art/film/media background? What made you decide to switch to medicine? I'm an artist and filmmaker and did some independent work for a little bit. But I became unsatisfied as time passed because I felt like it wasn't fulfilling enough to simply "entertain" people for a living. I still love making art and films, but I can't see myself doing it full time as a career anymore.

Hi there,
The closest I got to a media background was doing a bit of TV news production for ABC before I went to graduate school. I loved traveling around and living in different cities but I longed to put down some roots.

Surprisingly, I use my media background more and more as a surgical resident. I am always preparing presentations of my work for conferences and meetings. I love to present very complex subjects in ways that everyone from the lay public to my fellow surgeons can appreciate them.

I always have a digital camera in the operating room with me and I have posted some of my works on my other website. I am constantly amazed that I have operated on a beating human heart or removed 3/4s of a cancerous liver from an 8-month old child who is doing very well today. There are loads of opportunities to appreciate the miracle of just treating everyday illness and moving on.

njbmd 🙂

 

[Igni Fera]

I am figuring it all out right now. I have been a performer of aerial-dance and stilt-acrobatics, among other strange performing arts, for the last 7 years. Its been fun and exciting, but like you, I am unsatisfied with the depth of my impact on the world as an entertainer.

I tore a rotator cuff last summer, and the healing process from surgery this winter has given me the time to re-evaluate what I am up to. Until last week, I have researching PT school, but now seriously considering med school since it has been a hidden dream of mine for a long time.

I did Bio/Env'l Studies double in undergrad, so I'm set-up to go forward, but still trying to figure out which way exactly.

I know that time will be limited in school, but I fully intend to keep "flying" doing aerial shows (until I am 100 yrs old!). This way, I can do it for the love of the art instead of the need for a paycheck.

 

[thirdunity]

(deleted because of double post by mistake)

 

[thirdunity]

Hi Zellantus,

I was in graphics (was a graphic production artist), having branched out from computer software QA. I had sort of fallen into this line of work because it was something that came easy to me, and of course I needed to do something for a living. Also, it was the height of the dot-com era.

I really always had a strong interest in medicine and science, but didn't have the discipline at that age to sit through the college classes.

I got out of the work because I had to work too hard for too little pay-off. It was a lot of effort just to stay employed. Since I didn't intend to do this the rest of my life, it didn't seem worth it. I started to search for other work. I also finally grew up about school.

Now I just do art for myself and myself only, while doing work that pays the bills and studying in school hoping to eventually be a doctor. I'm doing writing and art for a role-playing universe of my own creation. Don't know if I'll ever publish it, but this is the medium that actually gives me satisfaction.

 

[Gatewayhoward]

I began as an illustration major, soon realized that art can be a very anti-social career path and quickly looked for anything people related. That was years ago for me.

 

[TypeA]

Count me in on the media front. I filled several roles... worked in radio (both sales and behind the mic), television news, produced a feature length documentary (no, you haven't heard of it - still waiting to distribute the darn thing in my "spare time" ), spent time writing copy, owned a media buying/ad agency and topped it all off a few years later by owning a creative firm as well.

Believe it or not, I have wanted to be a doctor since before I can remember! Not a day went by during those media years...regardless of the salary I was pulling down...that I didn't think about going to med school. REALLY. I guess I had to get the rest out of my system so I could concentrate on the one thing I have truly wanted to do all along.

 

[bubbleyum]

another art person here. i got a BFA in graphic design 10 years ago and have been working as a designer since. i graduated just as the internet was starting to really get fancy, and somehow ended up specializing as a web designer.

when i was younger i had dreams of becoming a doctor, then in high school told myself that i wanted to do something "fun and different", like architecture or art. 3 years ago i decided i will try to pursue medicine again. as many people have said here, we realize after working that a career in the arts is not all the idealistic creativity and perfection we thought it would be. it becomes all about pleasing clients and making money, and once that sets in, all the fun and motivation in working kind of goes away.

i know medicine is not the "perfect" career either, what with dealing with paperwork, money issues, and insurance companies as well, but after all is said and done, you've still done something positive for somebody to increase the value of their life. and through volunteering, no matter how "boring" my day might be, i've realized how comfortable i feel in the hospital environment.

good luck with your decision and visit the forum for help if you decide to go for it!

 

[kimmcauliffe]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone here is coming from an art/film/media background? What made you decide to switch to medicine? I'm an artist and filmmaker and did some independent work for a little bit. But I became unsatisfied as time passed because I felt like it wasn't fulfilling enough to simply "entertain" people for a living. I still love making art and films, but I can't see myself doing it full time as a career anymore.

Not me (I was an English major), but it is a hobby. Photography, acting, playing guitar. Being creative is an awesome release!

 

[mthomas2]

I'm not going to med school but I soon will be applying to optometry school. I had a great career in radio as a radio personality and I was offer TV as well but now I have switched careers. I have always wanted to be an optometrist and when I found the time to go back to school, I took the opportunity. Radio was fun and I miss it sometimes, but I am much happier now.

 

[gatheringhoney]

I'm going the PharmD route, but I have a masters degree in french horn performance and have worked in arts non-profits for the past four years. Making the switch isn't all that unusual....while completing my prereqs over the past year and a half, I've meet a terrific number of individuals with artistic backgrounds looking to make the switch to science.

 

[youthman]

I got a BA in Studio Art and became a graphic designer as thats where the money was. Eventually had an exec level job for international corporation and lived the fast life for several years. I was truly a corporate *****, a major sellout. Company crashed big time after 9/11 and within a couple years I was doing temp work. Finally got a good job again but just couldn't do it anymore. I had already lost all my material things and realized that's not what life is about. I matured a lot and realized I now had what it took to go back to school and be focused, and the new journey began.