I completed my training to become a doctor. The next step is to specialise in a particular branch for which i have to take a highly competitive exam. The thing is, over the last six years of medical training, I have come to the realisation that this is not my passion. I got into this for the approval of my parents and society. I used to be the topper back in school so I felt I had to live up to that reputation. I am 26 now, and have realised that this is not what I want. The thought of working in a hospital makes me anxious. I have no motivation to study for the specialising exam which everyone expects me to take. I took a remote medical writing job till I figure something out. In my free time, I make art. My real dream, my biggest, childhood dream, is to become a best selling, published writer someday. I want to live a creative life - writing, painting, and spending time with my family. I would definitely start writing THE book but i don't have any inspiration yet. I don't know what to do next. I feel stuck.

Question

Anonymous Practitioner · Accepted Answer

At twenty-six, finishing your medical training is a remarkable achievement, and taking a remote medical writing job gives you a smart, steady bridge while you step away from the anxiety of hospital wards. You are not actually stuck, even if it feels that way right now. Many bright people realize in their twenties that the path they built to satisfy their parents and live up to a childhood reputation simply does not fit who they have become. Your medical degree is a valuable tool you earned, not a life sentence, and you do not owe the rest of your youth to an exam you have no desire to take. As for your dream of writing, try to take the heavy pressure off creating a masterpiece right away. Inspiration rarely arrives while you are waiting for it, so give yourself permission to write messy pages, keep a private journal, and paint simply for the quiet joy of it without demanding that your early work become a bestseller. You also do not need to force a sudden, painful confrontation with your family today. Telling them you are gaining experience in medical communications or taking a breather after years of intense study buys you gentle space to grow. Let your day job pay the bills for now, guard your evenings for your art and your loved ones, and trust that your real story will reveal itself one small, honest page at a time.