Don’t be afraid to take on small projects that build your skills and portfolio over time. Seek out internships (many are paid!) that can get you started learning from others and building relationships. Look at publication houses, research facilities, hospitals, zoos, Biotech/Pharmaceutical companies, etc. Many different types of organizations need Medical Illustrators, and often, there are ways that people just getting started can help out, but make sure you’re investing in your technical skills first.

If you find yourself interested in different fields, take it upon yourself to research whether or not there are careers that involve all of them. There are so many interdisciplinary career paths; don’t be afraid to reach out to counselors, professors, and administrators to ask them for advice. Use search engines to find people doing work that you’re interested in and reach out to them to ask for advice. You never know what you don’t know!

It can be easy to get distracted. It’s important to very clearly define your goals (even if they change later!) so that you can figure out what it’s going to take to get there. Then, figure out what you need to stay focused. It might be a supportive community, a productivity tool, or some sort of organizational system that works for who you are and what you want. It’s worth putting the effort into figuring out the systems you can build for yourself that help you thrive.