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People who chose medicine over a career in art, how are you?
This is specific and just mostly out of curiosity. I have a strong passion for art, drawing, and literature, but I enjoy learning about health and medicine. In a world without money, I would doodle and read all day, however, I know that if I had to make a living out of it, it would probably kill my genuine enjoyment. That's why I would like to go through the path of medicine- it would allow me to earn a salary doing something I'm interested in without it killing my love for art.
I would like to know if there's anyone out there like me, do you still feel the same passion for your art now that you're in medicine? Are you still able to spend time participating in your hobbies? Do you feel like this was the right path?
10 answers
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hey Compassion!
You’ve already got some solid advice here, but let me add another layer to this discussion. I get where you’re coming from—loving art but also being fascinated by medicine, and trying to find a way to balance both without losing your passion for either. The good news? It’s 100% possible to combine them in ways that go beyond just "one for money, one for passion." You can integrate art into your medical career or keep it as a strong side pursuit.
First I am gonna just agree with every advice you have got here, everyone has giving you great insight.
Waiswa Jeremiah: He pointed out that many doctors are artists and that art enhances observation, empathy, and stress relief. This is so true—doctors who are also artists often have a deeper understanding of human expression, and that can translate into better patient care.
Now, Wyatt gave a heartfelt perspective from an artist’s point of view. He highlighted how turning a passion into a job can sometimes drain the love out of it. This is a crucial consideration, and it’s wise to set clear boundaries between personal passion and professional work.
Michelle shared real-life experience of balancing a stable career with an artistic one, emphasizing that you should never lose touch with your creative world. This is key—no matter what, keep engaging with your artistic side, even if it’s not your primary job.
And, lastly, Ben’s story about how turning his passion for skiing into a career made him lose joy in it is an important lesson. He suggested keeping one as a personal passion and the other as a professional pursuit, which could be a great approach for you. Although his was
So here is what options you can totally take....
1. Combining Medicine & Art as a Career
If you love both and want them to coexist in your professional life, there are actual careers where art and medicine intersect:
Medical Illustration & Animation – If you love drawing anatomy, you could create medical illustrations for textbooks, journals, or even animation for surgical simulations.
Surgical/Anatomical Sketching – Some surgeons sketch their cases to understand structures better, and many anatomy professors encourage drawing as a way to learn.
Psychiatry & Expressive Arts Therapy – If you go into psychology, psychiatry, or mental health, you can use art therapy techniques to help patients heal.
Designing Prosthetics & Medical Devices – If you love sculpting or digital art, you could work in designing prosthetic limbs or medical tools.
Medical Photography & Visualization – If photography or digital rendering is more your thing, you could work with hospitals and researchers to visually document medical conditions.
2. Keeping Art as a Passion While Studying Medicine👀
Luckily, medicine is mostly memorization, practical work, and ethics. During your study sessions:
Listen to medical podcasts while drawing/painting – Multitasking! Your brain processes audio while your hands create.
Use art to study – Many med students draw anatomy diagrams, color-code notes, or even doodle complex concepts to understand them better.
Schedule art time – Even 30 minutes of creative time each day can help you decompress.
3. How to Make Connections Between Both Fields🤔
Even if you don’t pursue art as a career, your artistic skills will still help you in medicine:
Anatomy & Art Overlap – Both require a deep understanding of human structure. You’ll already have a head start in anatomy because you think visually.
Communication Skills – Visual storytelling is powerful in patient education, medical presentations, and public health campaigns.
Creativity in Problem-Solving – Artistic minds often bring fresh perspectives to medical challenges, which is a huge advantage in surgery, diagnostics, and research.
Compassion....
If you choose medicine, you don’t have to give up art—you can blend them in ways that make sense for you. My sister is an artist too, but she’s considering psychology while still pursuing her art. That’s the beauty of today’s world—you don’t have to choose just one thing. You can create a life that allows both passions to thrive.
Your path will be unique, but if you stay connected to both your artistic and medical communities, you’ll find a way to make it work. Wishing you the best on your journey! Hope this helps! Let me know if you need anything else!
Try shadowing a medical professional who has an artistic side.
Experiment with anatomy drawing to see how art and medicine connect.
Look into careers like medical illustration or art therapy.
Join both art and medical communities to build connections in both fields.
You’ve already got some solid advice here, but let me add another layer to this discussion. I get where you’re coming from—loving art but also being fascinated by medicine, and trying to find a way to balance both without losing your passion for either. The good news? It’s 100% possible to combine them in ways that go beyond just "one for money, one for passion." You can integrate art into your medical career or keep it as a strong side pursuit.
First I am gonna just agree with every advice you have got here, everyone has giving you great insight.
Waiswa Jeremiah: He pointed out that many doctors are artists and that art enhances observation, empathy, and stress relief. This is so true—doctors who are also artists often have a deeper understanding of human expression, and that can translate into better patient care.
Now, Wyatt gave a heartfelt perspective from an artist’s point of view. He highlighted how turning a passion into a job can sometimes drain the love out of it. This is a crucial consideration, and it’s wise to set clear boundaries between personal passion and professional work.
Michelle shared real-life experience of balancing a stable career with an artistic one, emphasizing that you should never lose touch with your creative world. This is key—no matter what, keep engaging with your artistic side, even if it’s not your primary job.
And, lastly, Ben’s story about how turning his passion for skiing into a career made him lose joy in it is an important lesson. He suggested keeping one as a personal passion and the other as a professional pursuit, which could be a great approach for you. Although his was
So here is what options you can totally take....
1. Combining Medicine & Art as a Career
If you love both and want them to coexist in your professional life, there are actual careers where art and medicine intersect:
Medical Illustration & Animation – If you love drawing anatomy, you could create medical illustrations for textbooks, journals, or even animation for surgical simulations.
Surgical/Anatomical Sketching – Some surgeons sketch their cases to understand structures better, and many anatomy professors encourage drawing as a way to learn.
Psychiatry & Expressive Arts Therapy – If you go into psychology, psychiatry, or mental health, you can use art therapy techniques to help patients heal.
Designing Prosthetics & Medical Devices – If you love sculpting or digital art, you could work in designing prosthetic limbs or medical tools.
Medical Photography & Visualization – If photography or digital rendering is more your thing, you could work with hospitals and researchers to visually document medical conditions.
2. Keeping Art as a Passion While Studying Medicine👀
Luckily, medicine is mostly memorization, practical work, and ethics. During your study sessions:
Listen to medical podcasts while drawing/painting – Multitasking! Your brain processes audio while your hands create.
Use art to study – Many med students draw anatomy diagrams, color-code notes, or even doodle complex concepts to understand them better.
Schedule art time – Even 30 minutes of creative time each day can help you decompress.
3. How to Make Connections Between Both Fields🤔
Even if you don’t pursue art as a career, your artistic skills will still help you in medicine:
Anatomy & Art Overlap – Both require a deep understanding of human structure. You’ll already have a head start in anatomy because you think visually.
Communication Skills – Visual storytelling is powerful in patient education, medical presentations, and public health campaigns.
Creativity in Problem-Solving – Artistic minds often bring fresh perspectives to medical challenges, which is a huge advantage in surgery, diagnostics, and research.
Compassion....
If you choose medicine, you don’t have to give up art—you can blend them in ways that make sense for you. My sister is an artist too, but she’s considering psychology while still pursuing her art. That’s the beauty of today’s world—you don’t have to choose just one thing. You can create a life that allows both passions to thrive.
Your path will be unique, but if you stay connected to both your artistic and medical communities, you’ll find a way to make it work. Wishing you the best on your journey! Hope this helps! Let me know if you need anything else!
Dr recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Ben’s Answer
Hey there Compassion!
Really a great question, and you have some other great responses, I just want to add my thoughts as another perspective.
While I wasn't passionate about art at a young age, I was incredibly passionate about sports. After competing in alpine ski racing at a high level, I went to college and worked to combine my love for athletics with my love for medicine; choosing to become an athletic trainer. After graduating and working for 8 years in the ski world, treating and rehabilitating injured athletes, I found that because I had taking my passion for skiing and turned it into my profession, I no longer enjoyed the activity in my free time. The more time I spent reflecting, the more I realized that my personal passion had become my profession and lost its 'shine'. I loved helping people in the medical realm, and that never faltered, but loosing something I was personally passionate about was really hard for me to swallow. Since leaving the ski racing world, I have been able to find my love for the sport once again, while maintaining my career of helping people in the medical field... I think you have two really great passions, and I recommended that you pursue both of them! With that said, my advice would be to keep one as your 'personal passion' (maybe that is art for you) and one as your professional passion (medicine) as it will allow you to find fulfillment in both!
Best of luck,
Ben
Really a great question, and you have some other great responses, I just want to add my thoughts as another perspective.
While I wasn't passionate about art at a young age, I was incredibly passionate about sports. After competing in alpine ski racing at a high level, I went to college and worked to combine my love for athletics with my love for medicine; choosing to become an athletic trainer. After graduating and working for 8 years in the ski world, treating and rehabilitating injured athletes, I found that because I had taking my passion for skiing and turned it into my profession, I no longer enjoyed the activity in my free time. The more time I spent reflecting, the more I realized that my personal passion had become my profession and lost its 'shine'. I loved helping people in the medical realm, and that never faltered, but loosing something I was personally passionate about was really hard for me to swallow. Since leaving the ski racing world, I have been able to find my love for the sport once again, while maintaining my career of helping people in the medical field... I think you have two really great passions, and I recommended that you pursue both of them! With that said, my advice would be to keep one as your 'personal passion' (maybe that is art for you) and one as your professional passion (medicine) as it will allow you to find fulfillment in both!
Best of luck,
Ben
Thanks for the advice.
Cheeky
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Compassion !
Well, wouldn't it be cool if we could all know how we'd feel ten years from now. The truth is - there is no way you will know how your career will be or what your feelings would be about your future career, especially if you're doing it out of money motivation for stability. You will have to have a very strong, heart-felt drive towards the medical profession and want to dedicate your time and energies to it. Hearing other people's experiences is entertaining but it will not be anything to measure your future on.
I understand that you seek reassurance right now and that is great that you are reaching out. I have put in many years of exactly what you are talking about, leaning on a financially secure career and putting the questionable career on the back burner. The thing is, after 27 years of paycheck stability, I was able to return to my true love career - the unstable one, LOL ! My advice - do the stable career and the minute your life changes with having a strong support in your life and the free time, go to the career you love. Art and Literature are much more stable than the unstable career I have, so, I would say, don't wait as long as I did. And in your city, you have good opportunities to be a professional artist and writer or in publishing.
You can go for a two year degree in one of the health fields and do your art and literature at the same time as a sideline. You can turn your art and literature into a freelance business and the more people you meet in the art community in your city, opportunities will emerge.
You are fortunate because art and literature are things that you can do on your own time, doing the work by yourself. Never give it up or go out of touch with your communities that enhance your talents. You never know what can happen, especially in a major city that offers many opportunities. Big advice and take it from someone who knows: do not go out of touch with the art and literature world. You never know how soon you'd be returning to it.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Well, wouldn't it be cool if we could all know how we'd feel ten years from now. The truth is - there is no way you will know how your career will be or what your feelings would be about your future career, especially if you're doing it out of money motivation for stability. You will have to have a very strong, heart-felt drive towards the medical profession and want to dedicate your time and energies to it. Hearing other people's experiences is entertaining but it will not be anything to measure your future on.
I understand that you seek reassurance right now and that is great that you are reaching out. I have put in many years of exactly what you are talking about, leaning on a financially secure career and putting the questionable career on the back burner. The thing is, after 27 years of paycheck stability, I was able to return to my true love career - the unstable one, LOL ! My advice - do the stable career and the minute your life changes with having a strong support in your life and the free time, go to the career you love. Art and Literature are much more stable than the unstable career I have, so, I would say, don't wait as long as I did. And in your city, you have good opportunities to be a professional artist and writer or in publishing.
You can go for a two year degree in one of the health fields and do your art and literature at the same time as a sideline. You can turn your art and literature into a freelance business and the more people you meet in the art community in your city, opportunities will emerge.
You are fortunate because art and literature are things that you can do on your own time, doing the work by yourself. Never give it up or go out of touch with your communities that enhance your talents. You never know what can happen, especially in a major city that offers many opportunities. Big advice and take it from someone who knows: do not go out of touch with the art and literature world. You never know how soon you'd be returning to it.
I hope this helps and I wish you all the best !
Thank you, Michelle for the advice.
Cheeky
Updated
Lisa’s Answer
Wow Compassion,
This is all me. I spent my entire childhood and teenage years wanting to be an artist. I was an art major in high school preparing an art portfolio. I was accepted to 2 colleges for art with a dance minor. My mom happened to speak to a friend whose daughter majored in art and ended up a homeless drug addict. That was the end of my art career. My mom decided for me that I would not be pursuing that career. I was left hanging without a backup plan. I was interested in medicine but have dyslexia for math (didn't know it at the time) and ADHD. There were no medications for that available at the time either. I decided to apply for nursing school as a joke. Joke on me, I got in. I managed to pass but felt out of sorts. When I graduated and got a job, I HATED it but didn't admit to anyone. I also had imposter syndrome. I felt like I was faking it. I didn't think I was good enough to specialize in anything. I took years to figure that I was a good nurse and finally challenged myself to get into something I would like. I was a pediatric nurse for a while. Now I am a surgical recovery nurse. My parents regretted their decision regarding college, I never blamed them or held a grudge. The were very proud of me.
I still do my art projects and am very creative. I have had my art pieces in an art gallery show and in a museum. I also, after many years, got my BSN. I graduated with honors!! I knew my weaknesses and took the right steps to be successful. The thing that I realize is artists are great problem solvers and can think outside the box. Imagine you want to create a sculpture, you have to figure how to take that from your mind to reality. What steps, what materials, what techniques. It is all problem solving. This has helped me in my career as a nurse as well. I still feel like the oddball sometimes. When my own son decided to major in music in college, I gave my blessing 100%. He has a successful career. Follow your dreams, do something you love.
This is all me. I spent my entire childhood and teenage years wanting to be an artist. I was an art major in high school preparing an art portfolio. I was accepted to 2 colleges for art with a dance minor. My mom happened to speak to a friend whose daughter majored in art and ended up a homeless drug addict. That was the end of my art career. My mom decided for me that I would not be pursuing that career. I was left hanging without a backup plan. I was interested in medicine but have dyslexia for math (didn't know it at the time) and ADHD. There were no medications for that available at the time either. I decided to apply for nursing school as a joke. Joke on me, I got in. I managed to pass but felt out of sorts. When I graduated and got a job, I HATED it but didn't admit to anyone. I also had imposter syndrome. I felt like I was faking it. I didn't think I was good enough to specialize in anything. I took years to figure that I was a good nurse and finally challenged myself to get into something I would like. I was a pediatric nurse for a while. Now I am a surgical recovery nurse. My parents regretted their decision regarding college, I never blamed them or held a grudge. The were very proud of me.
I still do my art projects and am very creative. I have had my art pieces in an art gallery show and in a museum. I also, after many years, got my BSN. I graduated with honors!! I knew my weaknesses and took the right steps to be successful. The thing that I realize is artists are great problem solvers and can think outside the box. Imagine you want to create a sculpture, you have to figure how to take that from your mind to reality. What steps, what materials, what techniques. It is all problem solving. This has helped me in my career as a nurse as well. I still feel like the oddball sometimes. When my own son decided to major in music in college, I gave my blessing 100%. He has a successful career. Follow your dreams, do something you love.
Lisa, thank you!
Cheeky
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Compassion,
In a world without money, you would probably be out in the field planting or harvesting and raising your chicken, goats, sheep and cows so you have something to eat and wool to spin for clothes. You wouldn't have time for art and literature.
But seriously, the choice between a passion with shaky job prospects and a "real job" is difficult. There is the issue of job security, but also the fear to ruin a beautiful hobby when it becomes a job.
Let's look at the "real job" first. If you want to be a doctor, you'll be in school for 8 years plus another 3 to 4 years in residency. That's a long time for something that is essentially the safety back-up plan. And you'll have a boatload of student debt. I would look for something with shorter training in the medical field, maybe some flavor of nursing. That would leave you more time to pursue art on the side. And you can always get more education in the nursing field to rise through the ranks if you want to.
When you look at your passion for the arts, you can limit the risk by going for "useful" art careers, e.g. something like graphic or interior design.
There are also options that combine medical sciences and art. You could get a degree in arts and minor in biology/anatomy or the other way around and go into medical illustration/animation. You could help develop teaching resources and simulations for medical students. You could help design medical devices or assisting technologies. You could even develop medical computer games. I left some links for you below.
I hope this helps a bit! All the best!
KP
https://www.ami.org/medical-illustration/learn-about-medical-illustration
https://youtu.be/LxhDu76V5no?si=_gfzX8SKV00am1n0
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10020233
In a world without money, you would probably be out in the field planting or harvesting and raising your chicken, goats, sheep and cows so you have something to eat and wool to spin for clothes. You wouldn't have time for art and literature.
But seriously, the choice between a passion with shaky job prospects and a "real job" is difficult. There is the issue of job security, but also the fear to ruin a beautiful hobby when it becomes a job.
Let's look at the "real job" first. If you want to be a doctor, you'll be in school for 8 years plus another 3 to 4 years in residency. That's a long time for something that is essentially the safety back-up plan. And you'll have a boatload of student debt. I would look for something with shorter training in the medical field, maybe some flavor of nursing. That would leave you more time to pursue art on the side. And you can always get more education in the nursing field to rise through the ranks if you want to.
When you look at your passion for the arts, you can limit the risk by going for "useful" art careers, e.g. something like graphic or interior design.
There are also options that combine medical sciences and art. You could get a degree in arts and minor in biology/anatomy or the other way around and go into medical illustration/animation. You could help develop teaching resources and simulations for medical students. You could help design medical devices or assisting technologies. You could even develop medical computer games. I left some links for you below.
I hope this helps a bit! All the best!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much!
Cheeky
Updated
Bright’s Answer
Medicine and art intersect in various ways, allowing individuals to pursue their passions while providing financial stability. Medicine is often considered an art and science, involving communication, empathy, and the ability to connect with patients on a personal level. Visual skills are crucial in medicine, as doctors must have a keen eye for detail when examining patients, interpreting medical images, and performing procedures.
Medicine professionals often find creative outlets outside of their work, such as painting, drawing, writing, or playing music. Some even incorporate art into their medical practice, such as using art therapy to help patients cope with illness or injury. Medical illustration is a field dedicated to combining artistic talent with scientific knowledge, creating visuals for textbooks, journals, and other educational materials.
To balance medicine and art, it is essential to make time for hobbies, find ways to integrate interests, and remember that balance is key. Doctors often use their artistic abilities to help with patient communication, and medical schools are increasing the amount of humanities-related learning to ensure well-rounded students.
Ultimately, the right path is the one that brings the most fulfillment for those passionate about both medicine and art.
Medicine professionals often find creative outlets outside of their work, such as painting, drawing, writing, or playing music. Some even incorporate art into their medical practice, such as using art therapy to help patients cope with illness or injury. Medical illustration is a field dedicated to combining artistic talent with scientific knowledge, creating visuals for textbooks, journals, and other educational materials.
To balance medicine and art, it is essential to make time for hobbies, find ways to integrate interests, and remember that balance is key. Doctors often use their artistic abilities to help with patient communication, and medical schools are increasing the amount of humanities-related learning to ensure well-rounded students.
Ultimately, the right path is the one that brings the most fulfillment for those passionate about both medicine and art.
Updated
Wyatt s’s Answer
Dear Compassion,
Agreeing entirely with Waiswa's Great Wisdom above. I put it forth that, Doctors and Nurses of all kinds are All artists. Theirs is the great Art of Healing and helping people with their Ailments, which are abundant in this world. God bless them; I would never have had the chance, here, to meet my Beautiful Son without them, among so many other miracles in my life.
I would agree with your sentiments, being someone who has pursued visual arts as a career. It has been difficult at times for me to retain my love and passion for Art and Animation, being obliged to do it day after day to survive. I have, very thankfully, found a magical cure for this now, but it was difficult for many years. I think your desire for pursuing Medicine is great, and you can draw and write as you go along, using those skills to help teach others as you learn. If you apply Compassion, which I highly suppose you will, you will do well and be Brilliant, wherever you go. Love, in All of it's many glorious forms, will bring Hope, Smiles, and Joy to those in need.
I chose to pursue the Visual Arts path and I will tell you that financially, it has been a hard row to plow. People generally don't understand how valuable the Creative Arts are because their best fruits are things that most people cannot see or understand.
Sincerely,
Agreeing entirely with Waiswa's Great Wisdom above. I put it forth that, Doctors and Nurses of all kinds are All artists. Theirs is the great Art of Healing and helping people with their Ailments, which are abundant in this world. God bless them; I would never have had the chance, here, to meet my Beautiful Son without them, among so many other miracles in my life.
I would agree with your sentiments, being someone who has pursued visual arts as a career. It has been difficult at times for me to retain my love and passion for Art and Animation, being obliged to do it day after day to survive. I have, very thankfully, found a magical cure for this now, but it was difficult for many years. I think your desire for pursuing Medicine is great, and you can draw and write as you go along, using those skills to help teach others as you learn. If you apply Compassion, which I highly suppose you will, you will do well and be Brilliant, wherever you go. Love, in All of it's many glorious forms, will bring Hope, Smiles, and Joy to those in need.
I chose to pursue the Visual Arts path and I will tell you that financially, it has been a hard row to plow. People generally don't understand how valuable the Creative Arts are because their best fruits are things that most people cannot see or understand.
Sincerely,
Updated
Albert’s Answer
If you have artistic talent you might want to consider being a medical illustrator, but given the computer age the need may not be there. Perhaps a medical transcriber...it would give you a salary and sharpen your dexterity for drawing.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Cheeky
Updated
Waiswa’s Answer
Many doctors are also artists, historically and today. Art enhances observation, empathy, and stress relief in medicine. Balancing both passions is possible with time management, and medicine offers stability while allowing artistic pursuits. If you're drawn to both, it's a fulfilling path many have successfully navigated.
Updated
Fallon’s Answer
I'm currently pursuing both. You may want to go with if you are more left-brained (medical) or right-brained (arts). They can also be blended together as in art therapy or music or sound therapy.
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