PLX Academy ·Personal Experiences · 27 October 2022
Some celebrities began their careers in the medical field but gave up medicine to wholeheartedly embrace their passion for entertainment. Here are five famous people who left their medical careers in favor of another passion.
Lisa Kudrow
It is no news that Friends star Lisa Kudrow is widely considered one of the brightest celebrities in the world. She owes this recognition to her high IQ of 154, which made her eligible for a spot in Mensa International.
What many did not know was that she put her high IQ to good use earlier on in her life, pursuing a career in medicine. The star, who also dabbled in writing and comedy, obtained a psycho-biology degree from Vassar College. After graduating, Kudrow returned to Los Angeles to follow a career in research and work with her father. However, this was not to be, and she was soon inspired by a family friend to enter show business.
Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol may be better known as a professional basketball player, but he had his roots in medicine. The athlete pursued a medical degree at the University of Barcelona, having decided to take the path following Magic Johnson’s revelation of his HIV status.
However, once again, things did not go as planned. After he had enrolled pursuing a medical degree at the University of Barcelona, Gasol’s basketball career started to take off, and he left the university. Considering the numerous awards and accolades he has received in his career ever since, Gasol surely does not regret the decision.
George Miller
Movie director George Miller is one of the biggest celebrities with a medical degree. The Mad Max series creator attended medical school at the University of New South Wales. During his time in medical school, he skipped class to watch M*A*S*H and Battle of Algiers.
After years of doing his residency in Emergency Medicine at St. Vincent Hospital, he got the inspiration to create his first Mad Max. Mad Max soon hit the screens, featuring several gory blood scenes which he admitted were based on his real-life experiences with trauma cases during his years in ER.
Tina Turner
Tina Turner, the iconic singer known as the “Queen of Rock and Roll” … !? YES! She worked in healthcare before she became one of the biggest vocalists of all time. She served as a nurse’s aide at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. She had plans to become a practical nurse when her singing career took off. With 12 Grammy awards, the rest is truly history.
Bonnie Hunt
Bonnie Lynn Hunt, Emmy-nominated American actress, director, producer, writer, and television host, was an oncology nurse for many years. In fact, she delayed her dreams of Hollywood to go to nursing school. While working as a nurse, she moonlighted at the Second City Improv troupe. She says the strength she gained as a nurse has prevented her from being “devastated” by rejection in Hollywood.