Some celebrities began their careers in the medical field but gave up medicine to wholeheartedly embrace their passion for entertainment.
Let's look at 10 A-list celebrities who are taking significant strides in showbiz despite starting in medical school, pre-med, psychology, and other related fields.
8 Lisa Kudrow
It's 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 psychobiology degree from Vassar College.
However, she drifted off that path after a family friend inspired her to venture into showbiz upon her return to Los Angeles. She soon quit the research projects she was working on with her dad, a physician, and joined an improv theatre group. The rest is history.
7 Mayim Bialik
Former child star Mayim Bialik has stood out since her first venture into the movie industry despite taking brief hiatus at various points in her career.
A more insightful look into the star's life would reveal that she, in fact, spent those breaks obtaining impressive degrees. Bialik's academic pursuits saw her reject admission offers at Havard and Yale to study neuroscience at UCLA.
She also obtained additional degrees in Hebrew and Jewish studies before returning to the big screen. Following her stint on Blossom, the star went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience at UCLA, because – as she claims – her grades weren't high enough for med school.
Eventually, the icon realized the busy life of a neuroscientist did not appeal to her. Hence, she said goodbye to her scientific pursuits and embraced showbiz for good.
Thankfully, she got a chance to explore her nerdy side on The Big Bang Theory as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, a doctor of neuroscience just like herself.
6 Ken Jeong
Ken Jeong geared off a career in medicine long before venturing into Hollywood. The Detroit-born actor attended Duke University and completed his MD (Doctor of Medicine) at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
However, while undertaking his residency in a New Orleans Hospital, the icon embraced stand-up comedy. With his prowess, he managed to win the hearts of many, catching the eyes of industry professionals.
Before long, Jeong moved to Los Angeles and began landing roles in movies and television shows, eventually quitting medicine altogether. Some of his credits include Knocked Up and The Office.
5 Emeli Sande
Unarguably one of the most successful songwriters in the world, Emeli Sande's career beginnings had no connection to show business. In fact, the star attended the University of Glasgow, studying medicine for four years before dropping out.
She would later reveal her initial venture into medicine stemmed from her desire to have some financial security, knowing how tough it was to succeed in the music industry.
Sande went on to snag a degree in neuroscience, later landing herself an honorary doctorate.
4 Michael Crichton
Before his passing in 2008, Michael Crichton boasted of a degree from Harvard Medical School. Crichton began nurturing his writing skills at Harvard Medical School, eventually summoning enough confidence to publish his works.
Perhaps his roots in science explain the imaginative world of science fiction most of his works center on. Of course, he made it big in the entertainment industry and was the brain behind the Jurassic Park series.
3 Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol may be better known as a professional basketballer, 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.
Sadly, Gasol's drive to find the cure to HIV was not as strong as his pull to the courts. He soon dropped out of college to pursue basketball full time.
Considering the numerous awards and accolades he has received in his career ever since, Gasol surely doesn't regret the decision.
2 George Miller
Movie Director George Miller is one of the A-list celebrities with medical degrees. 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.
His exposure to those movies and shows spurred his interest in filmmaking. 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.
1 Dr. Phil
Dr. Philip Calvin McGraw may be famous for his appearances in his self-titled show, Dr. Phil, but many do not realize he is an actual doctor.
He graduated from Midwestern University in 1975 with a BA in psychology. He proceeded to further his education in Experimental Psychology at the master's level. He then earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Texas.
Having compiled a portfolio of impressive degrees, Dr. Phil figured out the best way of reaching out to the whole world. He made his big break on TV, appearing on Oprah Winfrey's show as a relationship expert.
Soon after, he launched Dr. Phil, which boosted his popularity, shooting him to superstardom.
Despite having impressive degrees and qualifications in medicine, these icons made it big in the entertainment world, even superseding some of their counterparts who obtained professional training in the arts.
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