Now what should I do?

I know that I will most likely attract the trolls and the flamers, but I couldn't really care less.
Just wanted a place to vent.
If you wanna put in some advice or help, that would be greatly appreciated.


Anyways, over the course of my studies and schoolwork, I've been thinking a lot about my future and my career. Currently, I'm majoring in Biology as a pre-med course. I already have three semesters under my belt. My goal (or at least, what I thought was my goal) was to eventually achieve a doctorate in genetics.

But now... I'm not so sure... I've been getting more and more attracted in the video game industry. I'm fascinated by all the different aspects of it, the storyboarding, the programming, the artistic aspect, the different styles and uniqueness each individual injects into a game, and of course the sheer enjoyment of playing video games.

Of course, I could just easily shift my major into computer programming or anything else for that matter. I'm 19, still young, and most people would say that I still have lots of time to decide on a career. The problem here lies with my family.

Literally EVERYONE in my family is in the medical field. Nurses, doctors, specialists, you name it, somebody in my family probably does it. Because of this, they are all expecting me to follow in their footsteps. Add the fact that I'm the eldest of the fourth generation of medical people, and a whole mountain of pressure and expectations falls on my shoulders.

I love my family, I really do... but they can be stubborn as F**K. Whenever I try to approach the subject of shifting majors, they immediately go off on some rant about not wasting time, or they've already invested too much into my studies...

Now, I don't know what I should do. I can see myself continuing on the path I started, but I can't really see myself anymore, being happy in a lab.
Or, I could change my course and go on to programming and possibly enter the video game industry. It will be difficult, I know, but I know that I will be happy with it.


So, that's that. I vented and I just want some peoples opinion on it.

 

If he would enjoy a career in the game industry, and wouldn't enjoy a medical career, then I would go for the game industry.

I would say there are the same career prospects in the game industry as in the medical career, if not more.
It's a lot easier to start your own game company than your own hospital
but on a serious note you could earn good money from the game industry, with less risk of being sued for malpractice.

 

That's terrible advice. Suck it up and become a doctor, you'll thank yourself for it later.

 

Do what makes you happy, do you want to spend the rest of your life doing a job you hate?
I would take a year on a programming course to learn about it and then decide.

 

"sucking it up" to be a doctor would be useless if he didn't enjoy being a doctor. And i don't think he'll be thanking himself when he sees people dying every day right in front of him.

 

Not liking a job doesn't make you completely useless at it.

 

i'm not saying he'd be useless at the job, I'm saying he will probably hate it and quit, having wasted time and money at learning medical shiz which could have been used for learning other skills.

 

Yes. I wouldn't go with the video game way. I looked into it and was not amazed at all. It doesn't pay that well. Plus, with business, I can do a lot more things than I thought.

 

How do you know what he'll do, do you know him that well?

@Toffee: If you have your heart set on working in the games industry, then go for it. However, as people have already said, there aren't many jobs to go around in the games industry, and the pay isn't great either for the amount of work that you'd have to do. You could pursue an education in programming, which would qualify you to be able to find work in the general IT industry if you can't find a good job in the gaming industry. Or you could make games as a hobby, perhaps learn programming and design in your spare time (what little you would have of it) whilst training in medicine?
The games industry may seem glamorous, but there are plenty of testimonials from people working within it that hate heir jobs and find it difficult to gain work. Games companies go out of businesses all the time, unfortunately.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/2755/career_paths_in_the_game_industry.php?print=1

 

Yeah, I kinda expected to get these responses. In all honesty though, I've always wanted to be a scientist since I was just a kid. I've always dreamed to be the one to find the next cure for cancer, or discover some previously unheard of organism or unlock the potentials of the human genome. I've just been feeling overwhelmed lately and the thought of becoming a scientist is slowly growing farther and farther away.

In a sense, I guess I still have that childhood naivete when It came to the video game industry. I've only seen the glamorous side of it, but not until recently have I seriously thought about how much work it actually is and how difficult the market is for the gaming industry.

I guess what I'm trying to say is... I've lost passion probably? I remember back when I first started the course I was all gung-ho about it and was getting straight A's in every class. Now... I'm lucky to be able to scrape up a B or a C in some classes. Maybe I'm just burnt out or something... I don't know... Oh and don't even get me started on what might happen when my family sees these horrible grades. They were all happy and proud that I was getting straight A's, when they see what's happening... the shit will hit the fan.

 

Sounds like you're not the one who needs convincing now is it?
Just for the record, not all doctors were Harvard, straight A grads. Hell, if you decide you want to work in the game industry after you become a doctor/scientist, what would stop you?
The video game industry is just that- An industry. Bad pay scale, horrid work schedules, and constant deadlines. You'll face quite possibly, the same thing in the medical field, but since you're conditioned to the medical field already, it will lessen the blow a tad bit. Later on, you can dabble in the video game market, but by then you'll have some cash to fall back on if it all goes awry.

 

I agree with everyone here. I mean, if you want to learn programming and stuff like that (which is probably the only part of the industry that is in demand-ish) then dabble in it if you'd like, make small little games in your free time. But the condition of the mainstream industry is fucking harsh and you're not going to get all the benefits you'd get if you were in the medical field. If you're interested, then go for it and get a taste of it, just don't make it your full time job. What you're working on now is a future, what you want to go into has a bigger potential for disaster, just saying.

Also, the people saying, if you don't enjoy your job you'll blah blah blah. Bullshit, suck it up. While you may not like your studies, it doesn't mean you won't like your job. And just because you don't like your job, doesn't mean you're either going to be useless; have a terrible life, or a terrible time. I hate my job and it's associated with people who don't listen and are incompetent, that doesn't mean I necessarily don't do any work, hate my life, and don't have fun at work occasionally.

All that 'follow your dreams' bullshit we were fed when were kids is bullshit, while it is possible to do, your dreams can sometimes be something that you could regret. I'd never picture myself in the situation I am when I was 19 and younger, I never dreamt for my way of life, but I can say I'm pretty happy regardless or not I dreamt something else for me. In fact what I have now is better than what I pictured.

 

tl;dr

The game industry sucks in a lot of different ways. Chances are you won't get to express your creativity how you want to. Also programming is incredibly boring. The whole damn gig is faaaaar less glamorous than it seems, and yet you think you'll be happy building your life around a whim you haven't truly experienced?

Medicine, on the other hand, might be the complete opposite. The work will likely be very stressful and perhaps depressing, it will also be fulfilling. Your life will have had meaning. You'll also constantly learn new things, meet new people, face new challenges and relentlessly push yourself to improve.

So what do you want? Fleeting happiness or lasting fulfilment? One of these is not like the other.

 

When I edit/hack videogames, it makes me see how difficult they are and make me feel bad about all that pirating. Making videogames, apparently, is alot less fun than those commercials make it seem. Getting a job making videogames is something you should only consider doing if you're TOTALLY into it.

 

You know, there is a difference between a job, and a career. Some people here in this thread need to be able to distinguish those two concepts.

Also, a job is not permanent. In fact, there are almost no permanent jobs these days, as there is no job security.

And if you have the right experience for it as well. Just hacking and editing games is nothing compared to actually working on a programming project. Which, in fact, that's what all these games being produced in professional software industries are.

 

First of all, this is fairly familiar. I was discussing something similar (though it's not videogames) earlier today.

You know how someone said something about making your hobby into a job?

Don't. It takes a certain type of person to do that. I'll not go on about how tough the videogame production industry actually is, but it will very likely strip you of most of the fun you have by playing them. I do Computer Science, as you'd expect from a massive nerd, and now I and many other people I know can't sit on a computer for an extended period of time because it's been relegated to a tool, rather than a fun activity in itself. Get a proper job with good career prospects, keep videogames as your hobby.

I was reading an interview with Daniel Dociu, who is the art director and a key artist for the upcoming Guild Wars 2. One thing that really struck me were his comments on the plethora of people wanting to become concept artists when there is really nothing close to a demand. It's extended throughout the industry, too. You can't do one of those shitty degrees in game design, because that really will not help you, you'll have no skills. The people who get employed? Exceptional artists, programmers, 3D modellers. People who stand out from the pack. If you REALLY think you can do it, and I mean are certain, then ultimately it's your choice. But fuck, you're evidently doing well in medicine so far. I can name three people off the top of my head who would kill for acceptance into med school. Hell, I know one person who is burning themselves out studying just to earn a place. Stick with it, you can always change later.

You don't need to be enthusiatic about your job. That's all bullshit, in the real world almost nobody gets a job they adore. The main thing is being able to do it, and do it well, and not hate yourself or the job - and you need to get your priorities straightened out if being a doctor makes you hate yourself.

 

I also want to add onto this. Even if you hate your job, just think of that job as a stepping stone in your career. There is usually a way for you to elevate your career from the job you are in (especially if you hate it.) Networking within or outside the company, institution, or organization is the way to go. By networking, you can find someone who can help you land a better job.

Also, since you are working towards a career in the medical field, why not join a membership organization for medical professionals? Working your way up to chairman in those organizations is certainly not a bad job to have.

 

You people saying suck it up, how many years have you spent working in a job you hate? I bet very little.
I used to be a stock controller for a very large company, it was good at first, the money was great and I was all for it. After 4 years I hated it, I didn't want to get up in the morning which then moved over into my work, I didn't care anymore and I didn't do as good a job as I should, I wasn't even trying because I hated it, I hated the long hours. I subsequently got fired.
Chase money all you like, I used to, now I do what makes me happy instead because that is what life is all about.

Toffee, you need to think about what you really want to do, are you just burnt out and bored? I think you are and need a break or some motivation.
If you seriously cant see yourself been a doctor then consider your options but don't make the mistake I did, you have to like what you're doing if you're going to spend 50 years doing it. You are thinking of quitting now right? Imagine how bad it is when you hate it with a passion