Although the idea of a medical career never seems to have appealed to Galileo, his father's wish was a fairly natural one since there had been a distinguished physician in his family in the previous century. Galileo never seems to have taken medical studies seriously, attending courses on his real interests which were in mathematics and natural philosophy.
Kahit na ang mga ideya ng isang medikal na karera hindi tila sa may appealed sa Galileo, kanyang ama ay hiniling ng isang pantay natural isa dahil doon ay nagkaroon ng isang marangal manggagamot sa kanyang pamilya sa nakaraang siglo. Galileo hindi tila may kinuha medikal na pag-aaral seriously, dumadalo sa mga kurso sa kanyang tunay na interes na kung saan ay sa matematika at pilosopiya ng kalikasan.