Doctor while being an artist

[zoner]

Hi everyone

I need some true advice, not just some it can or what if scenarios. Can I really be an artist (not just a hobbyist) while I am training to become a doctor and once I have become a doctor? I always hear stories about how med students are always studying and doctors hardly sleep and etc, so I fear that once I go to med school, first I will be stuck at med school with all the loans, and second, I will have to give up my other love which is doing art.

I know it sounds like a two separate thing to love becoming a doctor and also love doing art, but I just really can't imagine doing something else. So far doing premed studies and working at the hospital inspired me in my artistic side. I know it sounds weird, but they just do, and I have done really well in all the science classes as well.

So what do you guys think? Is it possible?

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[CatFactorial]

Focus on the art of medicine.

HTH

 

[JacobMcCandles]

You can do both but I'd focus on the most important one that is going to pay the bills (medicine) the most until you're done with training and have your own thing going.

 

[D elegans]

I think it's possible, it just depends on how much time you actually devote to it. It's all about time management. It will become more difficult during 3rd year and then certainly as a resident when you do not own your time.

 

[Daedra22]

Your ability to continue to create art will depend on how you work as an individual, how prepared you are for the realities of med school, and ultimately what specialty you choose. I am a writer - writing is a part of my identity. During first year I was not able to write a single page. With all the stress and the long hours I put in studying, even when I had the time to write I couldn't get myself to do it. I had very inefficient study habits. Over the summer between first and second year I had the chance to get back into writing, as well as reevaluate my attitude towards med school as a whole. Since beginning second year my grades have improved markedly and I have written 25% of a new novel. I have identified a specialty that I like with a lifestyle which allows for writing; at the moment, I am optimistic about my future as a physician-writer. We shall see.

If you are willing to make the time, and if you are prepared to set your art at a lower priority during training, I believe it's doable. Feel free to send me a personal message if you have any more specific questions. Best of luck!

 

[CaptainSSO]

Yea, you could.

 

[gravitywave]

yes, you can do this, as long as you recognize that full commitment to one will probably result in the other being put on a back burner. and you will be forced to make that choice at some point.

 

[Rothbard]

nm

 

[operaman]

You definitely can, but with some caveats. You will likely not have time to devote the hours to your art that you would like, but that doesn't mean you won't have any. I made my living in the arts prior to med school and have since managed to keep it going as an avocation during the first year.

In my case, I have not had enough time to maintain or grow my abilities, but this is largely due to how much I study and other projects I've chosen. Were I less concerned about my studies and research, I would have a lot more time to devote to other artistic endeavors. As such, I have not been able to maintain what I would consider professional level quality in my artistic work, but rather that of a advanced amateur. I simply haven't had time to keep my stamina and the precision that professional work demands. On the other hand, I've found studying medicine to be an absolute joy and look forward to every day and every new thing I learn. It feels much like music did for me in the beginning when everything was new and full of wonder. Medicine is an art itself and I have been surprised at just how fullfilling it has been for me, even as just a first year.

So, much will hinge on what your future goals in medicine are and how hard you want to work to make sure they happen. If you want do professional quality art, the time it takes will certainly take a toll on your schoolwork and time to do other things like research or other ECs, but from my experience you could still make it work. None of the coursework in med school is hard, but the sheer volume is the issue which is why time becomes paramount.

After school I'm not really sure how things will play out. I'm sure residency and even MS3/4 will be huge time sucks, but then again that's when I'm going to really learn how to practice this craft. Once you're done with training, you can likely structure your time however you want. You could work part time or in some of the fields that have shift work or 7on/7off hours and have a lot of free time for your art. You could do locum tenens work and have a lot of free time too. Naturally, the less you work the less you make, so depending on how much revenue you generate from your art and how much revenue you need for you and your family, there's some wiggle room to have a parallel career. Hopefully some people with actual experience at this level of the field can chime in too since I'm speaking theoretically here.

In any case, best of luck to you. Medicine needs artists as much as it needs scientists.

 

[CatFactorial]

You definitely can, but with some caveats. You will likely not have time to devote the hours to your art that you would like, but that doesn't mean you won't have any. I made my living in the arts prior to med school and have since managed to keep it going as an avocation during the first year.

In my case, I have not had enough time to maintain or grow my abilities, but this is largely due to how much I study and other projects I've chosen. Were I less concerned about my studies and research, I would have a lot more time to devote to other artistic endeavors. As such, I have not been able to maintain what I would consider professional level quality in my artistic work, but rather that of a advanced amateur. I simply haven't had time to keep my stamina and the precision that professional work demands. On the other hand, I've found studying medicine to be an absolute joy and look forward to every day and every new thing I learn. It feels much like music did for me in the beginning when everything was new and full of wonder. Medicine is an art itself and I have been surprised at just how fullfilling it has been for me, even as just a first year.

So, much will hinge on what your future goals in medicine are and how hard you want to work to make sure they happen. If you want do professional quality art, the time it takes will certainly take a toll on your schoolwork and time to do other things like research or other ECs, but from my experience you could still make it work. None of the coursework in med school is hard, but the sheer volume is the issue which is why time becomes paramount.

After school I'm not really sure how things will play out. I'm sure residency and even MS3/4 will be huge time sucks, but then again that's when I'm going to really learn how to practice this craft. Once you're done with training, you can likely structure your time however you want. You could work part time or in some of the fields that have shift work or 7on/7off hours and have a lot of free time for your art. You could do locum tenens work and have a lot of free time too. Naturally, the less you work the less you make, so depending on how much revenue you generate from your art and how much revenue you need for you and your family, there's some wiggle room to have a parallel career. Hopefully some people with actual experience at this level of the field can chime in too since I'm speaking theoretically here.

In any case, best of luck to you. Medicine needs artists as much as it needs scientists.

False false false false false false false.

 

[bad virus]

I don't know about the rest of the guys here, but during the first two years I worked 20 hours a week as a physics tutor. I had all the time in the world and took a tumbling, jogging and weightlifting class on the side. Despite this, I got 6 A's and 1 B; In summary the first two years are a joke. Basically, I read like a monster the first week of the block and finished all the required reading. The rest of the 10-16 weeks, I spent doing Uworld, Rx, qbank and pretest questions. I attended less than 5% of the lectures and this made my life magical.

Then third year came and started raping me across the wall in terms of hours. The grades were even easier to get as all you had to do was questions and be charming to honor a block.

Basically, all I am saying is we need more Frank Netters our there. So please join our ranks as I am a visual/kinesthetic learner and the Netter specialty books really need some updating.

Come on, you'll love it and we'll love you.

 

[Frazier]

You will also need to focus on maintaining your creativity, as medical school is designed to suck that out of you.

lol

 

[kitsunepixie]

Definitely doable, but highly dependent on your individual situation, like what specialty you choose. I bet someone who works 9-5 in a FM or dermatology clinic could easily juggle a full-time career in art on the side. I'm a neurosurgery resident (the exact opposite of a 9-5 job) and while I was on a lighter rotation at the VA Hospital, I cranked out a bunch of portraits and sketches, but I haven't drawn since that rotation because I've been on a much busier rotation for the past three months and have had practice boards to study for, planning for my wedding, and house-hunting occupying the rest of my free time. I still sketch at work like during conference or while I'm waiting on patient's labs to come back before putting in their ventriculostomies, waiting for the OR to turnover, and other such situations.

 

[Medizin]

Definitely doable, but highly dependent on your individual situation, like what specialty you choose. I bet someone who works 9-5 in a FM or dermatology clinic could easily juggle a full-time career in art on the side. I'm a neurosurgery resident (the exact opposite of a 9-5 job) and while I was on a lighter rotation at the VA Hospital, I cranked out a bunch of portraits and sketches, but I haven't drawn since that rotation because I've been on a much busier rotation for the past three months and have had practice boards to study for, planning for my wedding, and house-hunting occupying the rest of my free time. I still sketch at work like during conference or while I'm waiting on patient's labs to come back before putting in their ventriculostomies, waiting for the OR to turnover, and other such situations.

I'm interested in eventually pursuing PS or GS specialties and in medical school will seek out some type of research related to either specialty. Your post today related to art and medicine has me wondering if neurosurgery may also be a good fit for me. In particular, I'm highly creative. I have been at times an oil painter of portraits and a musician. I like detailed work that is challenging. I am not concerned much for the "lifestyle-friendliness" of my specialty at this point.

I would like to ask you two questions if you don't mind. How early should I identify mentors, and is it possible to do research that satisfies all 3 specialties?

I will matriculate in August. I plan to devote the summer after M1 to research. I plan to use AWS to identify mentors and also try to find mentors at my home institution. (I am an experienced researcher. I have 3 years of research experience from between college and medical school which relates to another specialty.) I thought it might be good to make contact in January of my first year after I see how I do with grades and such. Thanks.

 

[kitsunepixie]

I'm interested in eventually pursuing PS or GS specialties and in medical school will seek out some type of research related to either specialty. Your post today related to art and medicine has me wondering if neurosurgery may also be a good fit for me. In particular, I'm highly creative. I have been at times an oil painter of portraits and a musician. I like detailed work that is challenging. I am not concerned much for the "lifestyle-friendliness" of my specialty at this point.

I would like to ask you two questions if you don't mind. How early should I identify mentors, and is it possible to do research that satisfies all 3 specialties?

I will matriculate in August. I plan to devote the summer after M1 to research. I plan to use AWS to identify mentors and also try to find mentors at my home institution. (I am an experienced researcher. I have 3 years of research experience from between college and medical school which relates to another specialty.) I thought it might be good to make contact in January of my first year after I see how I do with grades and such. Thanks.

I did some craniofacial research that overlaps with both Neurosurgery and Plastics, and I guess Gen Surg to a degree. Plastics and Neurosurgery are both very competitive, but if you're already involved in research this early on you should be fine. Just ace your Step exams and be likeable. 👍 I'd say the sooner the better when it comes to finding a mentor...I found mine at the start of third year.

I know several artist faculty in Plastics, and they do see their work as a type of art. Neurosurgeons do too, I guess. I brought my sketches with me on interviews (like of skullbase anatomy and such) to show off when asked about my hobbies when I was applying for Neurosurg, and I had multiple faculty request to photocopy them and put them in my file. They definitely seemed to approve, and I guess my constantly drawing things I saw when watching surgeries on rotations as a med student was noticed because it apparently popped up in several rec letters.

 

[RedSHIFT]

Red flag OP, it seems the creative ones are too smart for medical school.

 

[RedSHIFT]

You will also need to focus on maintaining your creativity, as medical school is designed to suck that out of you.

Hear, hear!

 

[zoner]

I did some craniofacial research that overlaps with both Neurosurgery and Plastics, and I guess Gen Surg to a degree. Plastics and Neurosurgery are both very competitive, but if you're already involved in research this early on you should be fine. Just ace your Step exams and be likeable. 👍 I'd say the sooner the better when it comes to finding a mentor...I found mine at the start of third year.

I know several artist faculty in Plastics, and they do see their work as a type of art. Neurosurgeons do too, I guess. I brought my sketches with me on interviews (like of skullbase anatomy and such) to show off when asked about my hobbies when I was applying for Neurosurg, and I had multiple faculty request to photocopy them and put them in my file. They definitely seemed to approve, and I guess my constantly drawing things I saw when watching surgeries on rotations as a med student was noticed because it apparently popped up in several rec letters.

What do you mean by artist faculty in Plastics? Do you mean that they are artist at plastic surgery or they do some other visual art on the side???

 

[Frank Nutter]

Don't do it, OP. Med school will run against the grain of every creative or artistic fiber of your being until there is nothing left.

 

[bad virus]

What do you mean by artist faculty in Plastics? Do you mean that they are artist at plastic surgery or they do some other visual art on the side???

I can't tell you what he meant but the plastics guys are artists in their own right, with the scalpel their chisel and the breast their rock.

All kidding aside, just think about it. It really is an art to be able to shape the body to look a certain way.

 

[zoner]

But as you guys all know, art isn't all about the look or the formal aspects of it. It requires you to continue reading theories and critiques, be involved in what is going on in the art world and find out new ideas that are coming out and old ideas that are being challenged. It is a lot more dynamic field that just sketching a portrait or internal organ.

 

[adaptation1]

what's an artist?

someone who uses art to support their life? Or someone who uses their life to support their art. I would argue the latter.

you don't need to be engaged in the formal art "world" to be an artist...maybe to earn money or to be called artist, but just because other call you an artist doesn't mean you are one...

oh wait, this isn't the philosophy forum. but i'm sure you'll have some time to do what you love. you always have time!

 

[wholeheartedly]

I'm hoping it can be done and that I can manage to find the balance to do it. I'm willing to put it on the back burner, but not let it die completely.

I have met a few people that made it work. A pathologist I know has done sculptures for some pretty huge projects. I think one was commissioned by a former president and another a university. He's self taught, says that his background with anatomy helped him learn how to sculpt the human form.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I know several physicians that are professional artists. One of my pathology professors composes and does artwork for broadway plays.

 

[kitsunepixie]

What do you mean by artist faculty in Plastics? Do you mean that they are artist at plastic surgery or they do some other visual art on the side???

He is a sculptor and gets commissioned to do huge bronze sculptures.

 

[zoner]

my gosh, that sounds really awesome..

hey guys and girls, is med school really as bad as people say it is?

 

[Laplace]

I don't know about during med school but check out this plastic surgeon from UTSW who's also a classically trained artist: http://vimeo.com/38876678 It's definitely possible to do both

 

[Dirk Funk]

Art is my first passion by far. I want to be famous someday.

 

[Etorphine]

I can't tell you what he meant but the plastics guys are artists in their own right, with the scalpel their chisel and the breast their rock.

These.....*holds out hands, cups breasts*.....are my greatest work

 

[Mattchiavelli]

it is possible to a certain degree, but no you will not be able to be a full on practicing physician and a full on professional artist and top of your game at both. You can be a hybrid and many are and do both very well but you have to be very good at managing time and it helps if your art and medical work can have some overlap like surgical skill keeping up manual dexterity for 3d textiles and sculpting etc. Time will have to come from somewhere be it family, academics, community involvement, pursuit of religious services etc

 

[Dwindlin]

It is possible, and frankly I do not find medical school to be all that bad. I am a classically trained percussionist (B.M. in Percussion) and was a career Firefighter/Paramedic prior to starting medical school. Currently at the beginning of 4th year and I have continued to be active as both a firefighter and paramedic, as well as play an occasional gig thus far throughout school. Also happily married, though I don't have kids.

 

[kolopsia]

damn.

It is possible, and frankly I do not find medical school to be all that bad. I am a classically trained percussionist (B.M. in Percussion) and was a career Firefighter/Paramedic prior to starting medical school. Currently at the beginning of 4th year and I have continued to be active as both a firefighter and paramedic, as well as play an occasional gig thus far throughout school. Also happily married, though I don't have kids.

 

[211519]

Hi everyone

I need some true advice, not just some it can or what if scenarios. Can I really be an artist (not just a hobbyist) while I am training to become a doctor and once I have become a doctor? I always hear stories about how med students are always studying and doctors hardly sleep and etc, so I fear that once I go to med school, first I will be stuck at med school with all the loans, and second, I will have to give up my other love which is doing art.

I know it sounds like a two separate thing to love becoming a doctor and also love doing art, but I just really can't imagine doing something else. So far doing premed studies and working at the hospital inspired me in my artistic side. I know it sounds weird, but they just do, and I have done really well in all the science classes as well.

So what do you guys think? Is it possible?

I majored in studio art (and rhetoric) in college, and my particular focus post classical training is photorealistic graphite illustration and manual SLR photography. I dabble in oils and acrylics, occasionally mixed media.

During the first two years of med school, I had more structured free time and regularly scheduled vacation, so I had time to piddle around and work on some things. Third year sucked for me because I was at a hub site that was way too into scutting out students in a malignant way, so I had zero time for anything creative. I expect that the travelling of fourth year will preclude me from doing much aside from on breaks. Residency will likely be too busy as well.

Basically, yes, you can maintain some of your artistic pursuits, but it is highly dependent on your academic calendar and the sites your do 3rd/4th year rotations at. If you go into it expecting that, it will be okay.

My perspective was that I loved my undergraduate majors, but if I tried to pursue a career in the fine arts, etc, I knew I would end up resentful and frustrated because that is not a stable job. I had a strong science background as well, so medical school and certain fields in medicine still allowed me to use creative thinking and problem solving, while also providing a stable job AND giving me the option to continue with my artistic pursuits for my entire life. Also, I can have a retirement fund.

 

[dudeguy]

Hi everyone

I need some true advice, not just some it can or what if scenarios. Can I really be an artist (not just a hobbyist) while I am training to become a doctor and once I have become a doctor? I always hear stories about how med students are always studying and doctors hardly sleep and etc, so I fear that once I go to med school, first I will be stuck at med school with all the loans, and second, I will have to give up my other love which is doing art.

I know it sounds like a two separate thing to love becoming a doctor and also love doing art, but I just really can't imagine doing something else. So far doing premed studies and working at the hospital inspired me in my artistic side. I know it sounds weird, but they just do, and I have done really well in all the science classes as well.

So what do you guys think? Is it possible?

Just going to chime in here with my own experience. I’m also an artist, and no, I’m not “I love humanities so I’m going to study humans” kind of artist. I’m actual artist who wants to experiment with colors, tones, and the more technical sophisticated aspects of artistry.

I think that what you’ll find is that on a technical level, art overlaps with science since the processes we use to create art and the process we use to understand natural phenomena are the same. It’s always about deconstruction and construction: whether the object of that is a human (physiology, surgery) or a moment in time (a photo, or painting). It isn’t a coincidence that a lot of abstract artists also study science in an attempt to try and pin down the things that are swirling in their imaginations, increasing their understanding of the world, and bringing that to other people. Many of the old scientists were also artists. It was us who placed the line between them as if there is some sort of division, but there isn’t.

That being said, if you look at art and science as separated, you’re going to have a hard time managing it. In the our world, both of those are separate endeavors in separate fields of study in separate schools.

Medical schools are predominately have students who want to study medicine: 1 thing. Art schools have students who want to study art: 1 thing. If you seek advice from either of those two groups the chance of you getting skewed/inappropriate advice is very high because you like both things.

The study of nature overlaps both medicine and art, and they can absolutely inform each other, with practical applications in both directions. But this isn’t the kind of advice that you’re going to find easily since there aren’t many people who are actually genuinely interested in following both and honestly, most of the advice on the internet about any topic is flat out wrong without additional context.

If I was going to suggest something to you, is to keep your passions for both, and educate yourself well, know your limits, and push hard into both. Coming from my own experience, I don’t think you’ll be satisfied if you don’t do that.

Your patients and the endeavor of medicine will benefit from your open mind. Your art benefits from your experience and studies of nature. It’s a win win for everyone involved, including you.

You got this!

 

[Goro]

Why did you necrobump a thread from 2012???

 

[GoSpursGo]

Just going to chime in here with my own experience. I’m also an artist, and no, I’m not “I love humanities so I’m going to study humans” kind of artist. I’m actual artist who wants to experiment with colors, tones, and the more technical sophisticated aspects of artistry.

I think that what you’ll find is that on a technical level, art overlaps with science since the processes we use to create art and the process we use to understand natural phenomena are the same. It’s always about deconstruction and construction: whether the object of that is a human (physiology, surgery) or a moment in time (a photo, or painting). It isn’t a coincidence that a lot of abstract artists also study science in an attempt to try and pin down the things that are swirling in their imaginations, increasing their understanding of the world, and bringing that to other people. Many of the old scientists were also artists. It was us who placed the line between them as if there is some sort of division, but there isn’t.

That being said, if you look at art and science as separated, you’re going to have a hard time managing it. In the our world, both of those are separate endeavors in separate fields of study in separate schools.

Medical schools are predominately have students who want to study medicine: 1 thing. Art schools have students who want to study art: 1 thing. If you seek advice from either of those two groups the chance of you getting skewed/inappropriate advice is very high because you like both things.

The study of nature overlaps both medicine and art, and they can absolutely inform each other, with practical applications in both directions. But this isn’t the kind of advice that you’re going to find easily since there aren’t many people who are actually genuinely interested in following both and honestly, most of the advice on the internet about any topic is flat out wrong without additional context.

If I was going to suggest something to you, is to keep your passions for both, and educate yourself well, know your limits, and push hard into both. Coming from my own experience, I don’t think you’ll be satisfied if you don’t do that.

Your patients and the endeavor of medicine will benefit from your open mind. Your art benefits from your experience and studies of nature. It’s a win win for everyone involved, including you.

You got this!

The person you quoted finished med school in 2018, and should have wrapped up residency probably this year. They also haven't logged in for almost 2 years.

So I don't think this thread really needs to be revived. Thread closed.