I totally agree. It might very well turn out that I end up loving my biotech job, and decide to earn a PhD, or go to med school. But I plan to at least take a trial lesson, see if I like it, and then, if I really develop a passion for it, go slowly up the chain of licenses and certifications while maintaining my day job as a research assistant.
If it turns out I don't like flying, I'll have a few other excellent careers open to me, like biotech scientist, clinical microbiologist, medical doctor, patent agent, or biotech analyst.
And yes, I know my questions are irrelevant for me right now. I just enjoy getting the knowledge for its own sake.
Oh, and BTW, with the eye condition I listed in my OP, do you think I could get a Class 1 medical, albeit with a SODA? My opthalmologist's brother is an AME and fellow ophthalmologist, and works right next door to him and his optometrist partner, who've been my eye doctors for several years.