Hello all!
I have been lurking around here for a while now, and decided it was high time I introduce myself and tell my story. I already said ‘hello,’ so on to my story.
I am a 36 year old Art teacher in a Middle School in Southwestern Oklahoma. I have recently heard ‘the call’ to medicine, and am currently preparing my application for a Post Bacc Pre Med program about three and a half hours from here.
A huge change, and scary at times, but I feel that this is what I was born to do.
I love teaching, but I feel that I have more to offer, and more potential to serve my fellow humans. I know the journey will be challenging, but I am (usually) up for a challenge.
Am I crazy for thinking that a person who has spent the greater part of their life studying Art will make a great doctor?
Your collective stories are incredibly inspiring, and I look forward to the road ahead, with such amazing people to learn from!
Anyway, thank you all for all you do, and I’m happy to be here!
My undergrad degree is in music, I taught and performed classical guitar to earn my living until age 27 when I became a firefighter/paramedic. I’ll be applying to med school this June at age 34.
Medicine holds a place for artist as well as scientist! Welcome to OPM, good luck on your journey!
Dan
Been there, doing that… and thought I was the only one. Thanks for sharing! I look forward to hearing about your journey!
FYI
I am a music teacher gone medical school crazy in Texas. I am applying this year, I hope, to medical school.
Welcome, and I’m glad to see your post!
I know that I am a younger member around here. But nevertheless, it is about the overall goal that we all share.
- In reply to:
Absolutely not, you are not crazy. We all come from different walks of life and I guess I feel that I can identify with you because I too have consumed much of my life with art. I went to school for photography, I have spent much of my short professional career completely submerged in photography, most of my friends are artists, and apart of me will always belong to photography, nothing will ever change that.
I love photography. I love the work of Stieglitz and Steichen. My favorite photograph is one by Timothy O'Sullivan. I can go on and on about Photoshop and Lightroom, but I too feel that I have more to offer to people than just sitting in front of a computer editing photographs for hours. I don't feel complete when I devote all my time to art. That is why I have chosen to take the path of premed and eventual, med school.
The study of art and the act of creating it is a beautiful thing. In order to make a successful piece you need to be able to empathize with you prospective audience and tell a story that people can relate to. It is that relationship with the people around you which is so special. It is the ability to connect with the world and decipher feelings and emotions that allows us to create art. How is this pertinent to medicine? It give you the ability to go forth and communicate with people on a deeper level. If you cannot connect with your patients, then you cannot properly treat. Many times, in my opinion, people have a hard time conveying issues and problems, by having a background that is so heavily involved in trying to connect with people in an alternative fashion, it will give you tools in your box of tricks that can potentially be very useful in problem solving. That's what I think is so beautiful about non traditionals, we have had time and experiences that have allowed us to develop skills that we can apply to medicine.
We are a direct product of the experiences we have had and we are dynamic people. Sometimes it takes a journey in another world in order to come to the point in our lives where we find a path that is right for us. The years of teaching you've done are a beautiful thing! But that doesn't mean you can't do something new!
My only advice, is to talk to people and get involved. Being scared is a good thing in moderation! It keeps you cognoscente of what you are doing and on your toes. I too wanted to make sure that this was a right choice for me, so I talked to former teachers and professionals in the field. They have given me wonderful advice and have been very supportive. I just went to orientation for volunteering at a local hospital and I couldn't be more excited. Things like this are what reassures me that I am making the right choice for me and my future. Research, talk, get involved and be true to yourself. I think it's great that you have found OPM. It is so important to see that there are other people who are out there who have done/doing the same thing we want to do.
So welcome, and I hope that I've helped!
-Rob
I think that it’s awesome that you’re pursuing your dream and answering “the call”
I feel that a background in art brings a different perspective to medicine as well as the practice of it. Think of it this way, your line of study did not follow the traditional rigorous hardcore scientific method style of looking at problems and the world because of this I think that you may be able to catch, identify and treat a problem that may very well be elusive to a group of “medical scientists” (I use the term loosely)
Where a group of 10 may see a problem as the color purple, you may very well see that problem as violet (Lame example but I hope you get my point)
Artman,
you are in good company here. I am a high school art teacher, massage therapist, and master’s in counseling student who has heard the call as well. Kudos to you for listening. BTW, I am 38. 
Trust yourself, trust the process, and take each step as it comes. I am starting with my pre-req sciences this summer, chipping away at them while making decisions about how to approach the next step.
I am not sure whether to finish my master’s in counseling (I hate not finishing what I start!) but if I do I will move my focus from art therapy to health psychology as a precursor to medicine. I will likely pursue an instate SMP in medical sciences to make me more competitive, but I am starting with one science course at a time, getting past my old “I can’t do math/science” bs.
Stick with the forum here at OPM–it is a mine of information and rock steady for support.
Welcome and best wishes on the journey!
It is so amazing to see all these ‘right brainers’ heeding the call to medicine!
I am certainly in good company!
Medicine, to me, is a direct extention of the same motivation that lead me to art as a wee youngun’. How well can I observe? How carefully do I look at the details? Da Vinci and many others found the space between art and science minute, and I hope that someday, I’ll get that chance as well.
I just hope that my left brain is still capable of getting me through organic chemistry and physics.
Last time I took Science in college was in high school. (haha) Dual Credit Biology. In '93.
Thank you all for your support and responses! Glad to be here to share my crazy experience with you all!
Artman,
Congrats on your decision!! I am also a “right-brainer”. I have Bachelor and Master of music degree and taught for 3 years before deciding to follow this path.
I have read numerous times about the push for student diversity in medical school. Which works out nicely, since most of us artist types are quite “different”!!
Welcome!
Hi Artman, and welcome to OPM! I’m a writer by degree (Journalism) and profession (newspaper/magazine/textb ook writer and editor). As others have said, there is DEFINITELY a place in medicine for artsy people. I look forward to hearing about your journey! Keep posting!
Well, I am getting ready to go teach middle school kids the tricks artist’s used for creating the creatures on Pandora, and am pretty jazzed that I get to open their eyes to the wonders of anatomy, even if on such an abbreviated scale.
Had to get special permission to show Avatar, but I think it will be worth it when they see the very terrestrial origins of such otherworldly creatures.
ANd Speaking of otherworldly creatures, hello Terra Incognita!
You grace my intro with your presence!
I have been an admirer of yours since I began reading your story, and may I say, you are quite impressive.
To maintain a 4.0 while going through such personal turmoil is quite inspirational. You help me believe I can do this, crazy as others may see the attempt.
Thank you for that!
I hope that our paths will one day cross when we are both doctors and we can look back and say, ‘remember when?’
As always, happy to be here and ready to share my journey!
- Artman Said:
You grace my intro with your presence!
I have been an admirer of yours since I began reading your story, and may I say, you are quite impressive.
To maintain a 4.0 while going through such personal turmoil is quite inspirational. You help me believe I can do this, crazy as others may see the attempt.
Thank you for that!
I hope that our paths will one day cross when we are both doctors and we can look back and say, 'remember when?'
*Aw, shucks!* Thanks, Artman! You made my day.
Our paths will indeed cross sooner rather than later if you decide to attend this summer's OPM conference; I hope you do!
I’m a 34 year old musician/singer-songwrite r, and while I work in Corporate America, I’d rather be sitting at a piano somewhere, singing away.
I’ll be applying this cycle right along with the rest…
I’ve seen a few surgeries that reminded me of art, actually. Most recently, I saw a documentary of a man who had a 4 inch pipe run through his mouth and out the back side of his neck. Miraculously, it didn’t pierce his jugular or carotid artery, and they were able to remove the pipe. That was followed by hours of work by an Oral/Maxillofacial surgeon, and he literally created a masterpiece. The way he put tissue and bone back together was…beautiful, actually. He restored that man’s life and gave him back his face. Unbelievable gift!
I don’t know. Call me weird–but I think having creative blood in your veins can be extremely helpful in medicine. There will likely be all kinds of ways you’ll be able to use your current training alongside your future training. =)
Welcome! You’re not alone, and you’re not crazy. Best of luck!
So…add me to the pack of 34 year old creative types who are applying this June! I’m a yoga teacher, graphic design monkey, and mother of three…
I think blending creativity, science and excellent communication skills will be a great mix in medicine. Can’t wait to keep the discussion going as we move toward MCAT and app time.
Yay for creatives! For a while I thought that I was one of the few here involved in art!
We should start a club! 
We should start a club! My local chapter would be called “the chair of the science dept. of my college just looked at my fine arts majoring self and laughed when I mentioned med school” 
I almost always find myself keeping my dream quiet because there are so many naysayers and questioners that it makes me lose steam. Glad to have found this place where that sort of chatter is not lingering!
It’s official!
After seeing all these positive comments concerning artists in medicine, I went surfing for some more info to see if there was any scientific correlation, and whatdoyahknow!
A study was done at Harvard(!) that showed that residents who had studied in some capacity a fine art were generally better in their clinical observations.
They say that good science is good observation, and creative people have that by the bushel!
So, once I get to my residency I can really shine! Now, all I have to do is get into school, pass a million science classes, understand them all and find a way to pay for it all.
Easy, Peezy.
Love it!
I attended a conference/orientation at my top pick med school and got to actually interview a standardized patient. Amid all the alleged gunners who sat still, refusing to volunteer to be the medstudent, I did it and it felt SO DARN GOOD. We will be awesome…we just have to stay the course!