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Salary: Doctor vs cg artist

Please guys i am in a difficult situation help me :( my ambition is someday to become a cg artist cuz i love doing 3D models,animation and all of that stuffs and i Really want to participate in making a Future 3D film someday.
so I learn maya until my application for medical univercity comes,My parents won't bother about my future Job but my relations always telling me to become a Doctor and it is better.so i have about 2-3 months till application comes.so what do i need to choose? my dream has always been to become a Cg artist and i don't have any experience in Xg industry and it's salaries...etc.can a doctor earn more than a cg artist?
please help me

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  • Brian "Panda" Choi
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    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    Where do you live?
  • slosh
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    slosh hero character
    Well, I would do what you are passionate about but I'm not gonna lie, you're gonna have a much more stable future being a doctor. I actually think both jobs require insane amounts of skill so you will probably have to work extremely hard in either to become successful but a doctor is much more sustainable over time and you will make more money hands down. If you think you can be passionate about being a doctor as well, I would go that route.
  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    The local wage for a GP looks to be about $100k with more specialist roles going up from there. The US numbers are considerably higher than that. I don't think you'd ever get those kind of wages in games as an artist. Perhaps in film if you were working in the upper echelons, but you'd be working for a lot of years before you get there.

    If you're primarily concerned about money, then the doctor role would be the smart one. Think about whether that's what's going to make you happy though.
  • Brian "Panda" Choi
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    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    Have you done any volunteering at hosptials or medical facilties? That might answer a question about "Do I ACTUALLY want to go to medical school?"
  • pixelpatron
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    pixelpatron polycounter
    I'm over 80,000 annually. Yet stability in this industry is a nightmare. I've been laid off over four times. Not due to lack of skill or personality issues. Mainly studio closures and layoffs due to poor stock prices, number on a spreadsheet nothing more than that. It's more respectable as a profession, has way better hours, you'll be healthier, it'll be easier to move anywhere and find work, and on top of everything your helping people. Be a doctor dude.
  • skyline5gtr
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    skyline5gtr polycounter lvl 9
    Doctor no question, especially if you like both. Naturally doctor requires much more schooling
  • Add3r
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    Add3r polycounter lvl 11
    Do what you want to do and what will make you happy. Like in your other thread, I think its pretty apparent that a Doctor will make more money than a mid to higher level CG artist in my CG fields. Once you start to own a company and what not, then the dynamics change.

    CG = Zero to 4yrs of schooling on average.
    Doctor = like 8ish years of college on average internationally IIRC?

    There will be MUCH more hand holding in the medical field if you have the grades for it.
  • aesir
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    aesir polycounter lvl 18
    Add3r wrote: »
    Do what you want to do and what will make you happy. Like in your other thread, I think its pretty apparent that a Doctor will make more money than a mid to higher level CG artist in my CG fields. Once you start to own a company and what not, then the dynamics change.

    CG = Zero to 4yrs of schooling on average.
    Doctor = like 8ish years of college on average internationally IIRC?

    There will be MUCH more hand holding in the medical field if you have the grades for it.

    Also gotta compare not just the cost of extra schooling to become a doctor, but also whether if someone started working 4 years earlier, invested lots of money, what kind of returns they could get vs. someone that has tons of student loans and starts saving money years later.
  • Kwramm
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    Kwramm interpolator
    totally depends if you earn more on where you live. In many European countries doctors have to work in a hospital before they're allowed to practition on their own. There's shitty pay and 20+ hour shifts, which make CG crunch time look like a holiday. When you mess up, it's not just a texture that's wrong afterwards, your actions affect human beings. So there is a lot more repsonsibility.
    Once you can work on your own, there's still a lot of competition in bigger cities. You're then essentially running your own business. Also, you are working with people. If you're not a people person and like to focus on a single task - like modeling something to perfection - then doctor may not be for you.

    Really, forget about the money for a moment. Think about what your strengths are, what you want to do, and if both fit together. Otherwise it'll be just failure.

    I too wanted to study medicine at some point, but knowing some people who did, I'm happy I didn't. Those guys have a lot of responsibility and during training they can just say social life goodbye. And not all of them end up rich.
  • RyRyB
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    RyRyB polycounter lvl 18
    I saw an orthopedic surgeon a couple of years ago for my knee...he was teaching himself how to do 3D on the side.

    Interpret it how you may!
  • RyanB
    Please guys i am in a difficult situation help me :( my ambition is someday to become a cg artist cuz i love doing 3D models,animation and all of that stuffs and i Really want to participate in making a Future 3D film someday.
    so I learn maya until my application for medical univercity comes,My parents won't bother about my future Job but my relations always telling me to become a Doctor and it is better.so i have about 2-3 months till application comes.so what do i need to choose? my dream has always been to become a Cg artist and i don't have any experience in Xg industry and it's salaries...etc.can a doctor earn more than a cg artist?
    please help me

    The number of CG artist jobs in the world is infinite if you consider indies, self-employed, contract and people who sell assets online. A lot of them probably make less than $10,000 a year though.

    For comparison:

    Number of AAA game character artists in the world: about 500 at 25 studios
    Average Salary is around $80,000 US
    http://www.computerandvideogames.com/417770/triple-a-console-studios-declined-by-80-this-gen-says-ea-exec/

    Number of players in the NBA: 447 among 30 teams
    Average Salary is around $5,000,000 US
    http://www.besttickets.com/blog/unofficial-2013-nba-census/

    Number of neurosurgeons in US: 3,500 plus 790 residents at ~1300 hospitals
    Average Salary is around $355,034 (payscale.com)
    http://www.kgbanswers.com/how-many-brain-surgeons-are-there-in-the-us/4706897

    If you want to have a long-term career that pays well at the cost of 14 years in school, something like neurosurgeon is the way to go. A medical degree is going to open a lot of doors if you want to travel as well.

    A CG artist salary in the Western world is comparable to a job like plumber, electrician or HVAC mechanic.
  • MeshMagnet
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    MeshMagnet polycounter lvl 9
    ^ Really? Only 500 Character artists at AAA companies in the world?
  • RyanB
    MeshMagnet wrote: »
    ^ Really? Only 500 Character artists at AAA companies in the world?

    Everyone has a different definition of AAA. The definition of AAA I am using is from:
    Richard Hilleman, chief creative officer of Electronic Arts, has calculated that the number of teams working on triple-A console games is in the region of 25 studios worldwide.
    http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2013-07-04-eas-hilleman-triple-a-console-studios-reduced-to-25-worldwide

    Average of four or five character artists per studio but teams are four times bigger = ~ 500 AAA character artists.

    Number of openings each year is probably around 50 positions worldwide, but those will often be filled by the existing pool of character artists.

    There are lots of other character artists in mobile and other platforms, of course. But comparing them to something like a doctor is probably not what the original poster had in mind.
  • Justin Meisse
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    Justin Meisse polycounter lvl 18
    AAA aint everything, I've seen AAA studios offer lower salaries than mobile studios. I don't know if it's intentional or they just have a talent pool that considers it their dream job and doesn't negotiate salaries.

    Could you be a doctor and not hate every minute of it, go for it. I've thought of going into web development and doubling my salary but the crushing depression would take a toll.
  • vskdharmasena
    Well I am not boasting or something.I do have the grades to goto the medical school and iam from sri lanka and I only have to train 1 yr for to get my own business. But my dream has always been to become cg artist. Since you guys are telling me to go for the doctor I will go for it,but is there any way to do both? Like a hobby or free lancing (not for $ but for fun) cuz I realy want to do cg things.thanks.
  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    The message is "become a doctor if your primary goal is amassing money". Like Jesse says, if you're miserable doing it, that's not going to be much of a life, no matter how rich you are.

    I'd suggest doing what makes you happy and not worrying so much what other people think, whether they're your relatives or forum people.
  • PyrZern
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    PyrZern polycounter lvl 12
    Well, how busy are you going to be as a doctor ?
    My aunt and her husband own their own clinic. They also work at a hospital during the day. Then their own thing in the evening. Sometimes emergency or surgery or something will pull them back to the hospital during night time. They make loads of money. Like, loads and loads. They also love doing it. But they don't have time to anything else... Like, at all.

    If you love CG, I'm sure you will find a way to do it on the side if you decide to become a doctor. The opposite isn't true, though. Don't think you can be a doctor on the side while you do CG things.
  • Kwramm
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    Kwramm interpolator
    PyrZern wrote: »
    Don't think you can be a doctor on the side while you do CG things.

    sure you can, just change your name to Nick ;)
  • vskdharmasena
    Jackablade wrote: »
    The message is "become a doctor if your primary goal is amassing money". Like Jesse says, if you're miserable doing it, that's not going to be much of a life, no matter how rich you are.

    I'd suggest doing what makes you happy and not worrying so much what other people think, whether they're your relatives or forum people.

    thank you for your time,my goal is to have a good life but i also need money because we are poor (not beggers but we are poor) and i need to treat my mom and dad good someday and make them happy.they don't tell me to Become a doctor one way or another they let me choose my future.since i love doing cg and since you guys telling me I can do these things as a hobby i think i go for the doctor but i still have 2-3 months until my application comes i will think more about it and get some advice from adults.thank you very much i also do have a one question this is out of the topic of Polycount,cg but if u can pls answer it

    if i get a degree of a doctor (medical degree) in sri lanka can i move to another country like USA,UK,canada and work there?
    at least do you know anyone who became a doctor in a other country and work in another country?

    thank you very much :) i still may ask some cg stuffs on polycount cuz it is my hobby

    thanks again and long live polycount :)
  • vskdharmasena
    and please i didn't made this thread to out grade cg artist i just wanted to know how it is cuz i don't have experience i hope you OK with that.
  • Burpee
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    Burpee polycounter lvl 9
    RyanB wrote: »
    The number of CG artist jobs in the world is infinite if you consider indies, self-employed, contract and people who sell assets online. A lot of them probably make less than $10,000 a year though.

    For comparison:

    Number of AAA game character artists in the world: about 500 at 25 studios
    Average Salary is around $80,000 US
    http://www.computerandvideogames.com/417770/triple-a-console-studios-declined-by-80-this-gen-says-ea-exec/

    Number of players in the NBA: 447 among 30 teams
    Average Salary is around $5,000,000 US
    http://www.besttickets.com/blog/unofficial-2013-nba-census/

    Number of neurosurgeons in US: 3,500 plus 790 residents at ~1300 hospitals
    Average Salary is around $355,034 (payscale.com)
    http://www.kgbanswers.com/how-many-brain-surgeons-are-there-in-the-us/4706897

    If you want to have a long-term career that pays well at the cost of 14 years in school, something like neurosurgeon is the way to go. A medical degree is going to open a lot of doors if you want to travel as well.

    A CG artist salary in the Western world is comparable to a job like plumber, electrician or HVAC mechanic.



    woh man, this is hard to realise
  • 3devo
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    3devo polycounter lvl 12
    1) do not let other people be the driving factor behind such a huge decision in your life. do some research on the pros and cons of each choice and CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF.

    2) slightly O/T (but related) it is possible to combine the two disciplines in ways. i have heard of medical cg companies(not any huge names but it is an industry)mainly doing explanitory videos and the like or you hear of things like patients 3d printing out copies of their organs to help guide surgeons. not saying that you neccessarily should choose something like this but its important to understand that you don't only limit yourself to 2 path when there are way more
  • SnowInChina
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    SnowInChina interpolator
    one thing that did not get mentioned here is the fact that, depending on what kind of doctor you will be, you have to deal with some heavy stuff that will affect you mentaly
    a doctor usually has to deal with people who are suffering, it could be only the flue, or people who need surgery after a car crash

    and i know that i wouldn't want to be surrounded by suffering most of my lifetime
    thats also why i have the utmost respect for all the people who chose this kind of work
  • dfacto
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    dfacto polycounter lvl 18
    Go for medicine and finish it. If you hate it you'll quit and carry a valuable degree and knowledge into whatever you choose to do next. If you don't you'll have a job with much more stability and a much higher salary and you can do art on the side. If you don't do it at all then that world is forever closed to you. Give medicine a shot, it's pretty cool and it's not the end of your artistic endeavors.


    FYI: Just graduated med school, so I might be biased.
  • Brian "Panda" Choi
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    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    Whoa, this guys says he's from Sri Lanka. Do we have any information on medical schools in Sri Lanka?
  • PyrZern
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    PyrZern polycounter lvl 12
    I don't... But I know many doctors from 3rd world countries go become nurse in the US instead... I don't really know how it works there.
  • peanut™
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    peanut™ polycounter lvl 18
    In my teenage years i once wanted to become a Doctor myself. I was asking advices around to know what field should i go in and was asking how big would the salary be.

    I was told to stay away from this profession if money was important to me and not the humans i would be taking care of.
  • TomGT
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    TomGT polycounter
    peanut™ wrote: »
    In my teenage years i once wanted to become a Doctor myself. I was asking advices around to know what field should i go in and was asking how big would the salary be.

    I was told to stay away from this profession if money was important to me and not the humans i would be taking care of.

    That is quite an advice there.
  • [Deleted User]
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    [Deleted User] polycounter lvl 3
    Is there no medical engineer or something like that? Those that design all those implants, prosthesis etc., kinda Deus Ex like guys? We are not that far away from this future with 3D printing and other technologies, so maybe there exists profession that requires 3D and medical knowledge in one person?
  • dfacto
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    dfacto polycounter lvl 18
    peanut™ wrote: »
    I was told to stay away from this profession if money was important to me and not the humans i would be taking care of.

    You got BSed by someone who was probably not a doctor. There are a multitude of jobs in medicine which are only peripherally patient-oriented and pay quite well. Pathology for example, or forensics.
  • peanut™
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    peanut™ polycounter lvl 18
    dfacto wrote: »
    You got BSed by someone who was probably not a doctor. There are a multitude of jobs in medicine which are only peripherally patient-oriented and pay quite well. Pathology for example, or forensics.

    I don't think you have quite understood what is at play here ...
  • dfacto
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    dfacto polycounter lvl 18
    Such as? Maybe I didn't get your meaning.
  • Steve Schulze
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    Steve Schulze polycounter lvl 18
    mantragora wrote: »
    Is there no medical engineer or something like that? Those that design all those implants, prosthesis etc., kinda Deus Ex like guys? We are not that far away from this future with 3D printing and other technologies, so maybe there exists profession that requires 3D and medical knowledge in one person?
    Actually that's a good point. 3d printed body parts are just starting to take off and are going to be an enormous industry, particularly once they start being able to reliable print organs and other meaty bits. There's plenty going on with 3d medical imaging too.

    If you're interested in both medicine and CG, that might be a good path.
  • EarthQuake
    Martin (dfacto) is a legit medical doctor and he draws robots and shit in his free time, like a boss. One time I almost convinced him to drop out of med school and move to Iowa to work on Darkest of Days, but he's not as stupid as he looks.
  • vskdharmasena
    Thanks guys :) i will think about the doctor path cuz my relatives also say so and like you guys said i can do cg art as a side thing :) but i still have my student version in maya so since i have sometime :) i will still learn and i might ask you guys for some help :)
    thank you very much for your time
  • Brian "Panda" Choi
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    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    @Dustin: That first article is what I'm doing. My only fear is if it's enough to support myself consistently, to not even speak of others.
  • AtomicChikkin
    The choice is between beans and high-stress.

    I do come from a Chinese family, so there's a big emphasis on "real" jobs like doctors, lawyers, etc. Now to the bitter pills about being a doctor: it's not an easy job, highly stressful, and demanding.

    Lots of schooling, insurance costs, sacrifice of personal satisfaction, to name a few things. Plus the potential problem of both debt and even more insurance costs and dealing with human lives.

    Being a doctor shouldn't be an *easy* choice. It sounds nice on paper, but is a mountain of stress to get there.

    As an artist? Get ready to eat beans before landing a decent gig, get ready to be fired, lose jobs, and face insecurity.

    Keep a third option: find a job that lets you keep your sanity, but a roof over your head and food on the table while you can still work. Find a job that enables you to work on your art.
  • vskdharmasena
    PyrZern wrote: »
    I don't... But I know many doctors from 3rd world countries go become nurse in the US instead... I don't really know how it works there.

    What? I didn't get that the first time. This means that if I become a doctor in sl I can't work in any other country as a doc but a NURSE?
  • Kwramm
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    Kwramm interpolator
    What? I didn't get that the first time. This means that if I become a doctor in sl I can't work in any other country as a doc but a NURSE?

    likely. the same happens a lot in Europe. They don't trust that you get an equivalent 1st world education in a poor country. Or that you bribed your way through it. Doesn't necessarily have to be true - Cuba has great doctors. But there's no way for them to check, so they're rather safe than sorry.
  • vskdharmasena
    :( so can't i even re-do the exam there (eg:in US) and work there ?
  • Brian "Panda" Choi
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    Brian "Panda" Choi high dynamic range
    You'd have to ask medical doctors who work here, or medical school administration. Why don't you try reaching out to them?
  • dfacto
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    dfacto polycounter lvl 18
    Check the medical association in the countries you might eventually go to. Accepted medical universities are usually listed, or you are referred to an online directory such as this one: http://www.faimer.org/resources/imed.html

    I see a bunch of Sri Lankan universities on that one at least so your qualifications should be accepted in Europe (but probably with an exam).

    If you have no mobility as a doctor I'd actually tell you not to bother. Medical systems are in a state of flux, and while the West's working conditions and salaries are generally decent and great respectively, there are exceptions, such as Greek doctors getting overworked and paid a pittance due to their economic problems, or Bulgarian doctors working for peanuts because of a broken health system. Tying yourself down to one country may end with you in a miserable job, where you'll be neither fulfilled nor get the salary you want.
  • JacqueChoi
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    JacqueChoi polycounter


    Interesting read about Asian American Artists:
    http://nymag.com/news/features/asian-americans-2011-5/

    Most of us hit a pretty abrupt ceiling, despite generally showing a higher aptitude in most fields of study.


    Many Asian parents view being a doctor as a pretty big equalizer.
  • xvampire
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    xvampire polycounter lvl 14
    Thanks guys :) i will think about the doctor path cuz my relatives also say

    oh wow, you really go to the path that other people want you to be , oh well it still your choice.
  • LRoy
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    LRoy polycounter lvl 10
    What? I didn't get that the first time. This means that if I become a doctor in sl I can't work in any other country as a doc but a NURSE?

    you should probably do your own homework on this. if polycount is your go to source for life as a doctor you may be doomed already.
  • gnomgrol
    Choosing the path of beeing a doctor is definitly the save one. However, ask yourself if the higher pay is worth doing something you can't stand 8h/day.
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