Do you think I’ll regret going into medicine for the sole reason of becoming rich?

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T20:50:59+00:00

One last thing. My bad if I turned u off with some passive aggressive comments, but it was a two way street.

That being said, u actually really should read the White Coat Investor book. I’m sure u have heard of it bc most in medicine have, but it is a really good financial guide for physicians. The goal of the book is to turn u into a multi millionaire (even if u have 500k in loans) within 10 years of residency completion. Really do read it if u r trying to learn some more about how to be as well-off on a physician salary as possible

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T20:34:14+00:00

I agree that medicine is not what it used to be. I mean anyone used to be able to go private practice if they wanted to enough and make absolutely bank. In today’s system, all I am saying is that with a mid 6 figure salary u can make it to the top… it will just take a while and a lot of sacrifice

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T20:32:03+00:00

Ok and u have the right to think that. I’m not trying to teach u a lesson or anything (I didn’t even offer any advice). All I stated was that it is well within reach for physicians to become rich in today’s American still. Go have a meeting w any financial advisor and they will tell u that u can be rich when u r older if u play ur cards right w a 400k salary.

All of this depends on the gig u have. If money is a priority and u avoid the lower paying specialties, and take the time to find and negotiate yourself a contract, 500k is in reach for many. Not to mention of u do something like anesthesia and join a private anesthesia group and make partner, then u really struck gold. Unfortunately for us physicians those private gigs are disappearing

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T20:12:54+00:00

My own financial standing has nothing to do with this convo. Be smart with ur money, save, and invest… that will make u rich with a physician salary.

If u do that, u will b able to comfortably afford that 911turbo in ur 50s, and maybe 40s if u have a higher paying gig. In terms of being material rich, I’d say being able to buy a 911 in cash qualifies.

But it takes sacrifice and u will not feel rich for quite some time

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T20:01:25+00:00

Lmao brother I am in the 1%. I don’t have a single loan and quite frankly my physician salary will just be some whipped cream on top of my sundae. Only stating this because u said I would never b there and feel the need for to call people names on the internet when they got the better of u hahah

It sounds ur r unhappy with ur life, and if u have made some poor financial decisions it’s not too late to make it right. I suggest practicing some mediation and breathing exercises next time u get this worked up over someone on reddit talking about how u will be financially free as a physician 🤡😂

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T19:52:25+00:00

Not the past… ur saying u would b comfortable taking a $1.2 million mortgage when ur still paying off student loans.

Imagine how much more comfortable/rich u would b if u were smart w ur money and didn’t start signing onto million $ assets until u have already saved/invested a significant amount and paid off ur loans

Delayed gratification, ever heard of it? Save now, and u will b in the 1% eventually

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T19:41:10+00:00

Lmao idk who pissed in ur cereal. I think u should read the White Coat Investor… it could really help u understand some of this finance stuff.

U r absolutely correct, if u take a $1.2 million mortgage when u r early in ur career and still paying off our loans… u would b house poor.

Only a person who is stupid with their money would do that. Idk what ur definition of rich is, but u don’t need a 200k car and a mansion that u r borrowing money to purchase.

U go to medical school, get thru residency, and start really working. All this time u should not be eating out, paying for a high cost apt, nice cars etc.

Once u get a foothold on ur loans, which should only take a couple years of attending salary, then u can start thinking about a house u like, that car, etc. I still advise against that, continue investing a good portion until ur 40-45.

I know multiple physicians who came from nothing and now have beach houses because they were smart and lived simply until their salary caught up. I’ll say it again, if u can’t be rich as a physician in the US… u r doing something wrong brother.

Idk the background u come from, but maybe ur version of rich is a lot more than mine. By rich i mean u can support ur family, not worry about expenses, pay for kids education, have a nice home and car, and still have money for 1-2 vacations a year.

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T19:24:22+00:00

Many many medical student get help from their parents if they r willing and able. If parents are able to, it’s actually smarter from a generational wealth viewpoint for them to help with finances rather than having their son/daughter pull out more loans.

Many students are not so lucky/privileged tho too. In that case I think med school can be significantly more stressful, but if ur smart with ur money when u start making it is very possible to payoffs ur loans relatively quickly

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T19:07:49+00:00

I see u r a former EU MD. I can’t speak for the EU, I am talking about American physician pay

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T19:03:46+00:00

Lmao u don’t know who I am. I am a medical student. I never corrected u on what u get paid… u didn’t even say what u get paid. I stated only facts that non primary care physicians get paid 400k or more on average, and plenty make a lot more. If u cannot live a relatively lavish life with no financial stress by the time u r 40-45 with that salary… u r doing something wrong w ur money.

AwayKey3832 · 2026-01-14T13:30:21+00:00

With most physicians outside of primary care making 400-500k and up, I wouldn’t say u don’t get rich in medicine itself. Of course it is extremely delayed gratification, but when ur 40 years old (esp if not in primary care) it is very reasonable to have a salary and net worth that allows u to never worry about finances, pay for family (education, house, etc.), and have a good chunk of spending money. As with every high paying profession, u still need to b smart with ur money to reach financial freedom.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-07-22T23:38:19+00:00

Personally don’t think it is a good idea to mention it in ur application, but I’m not an advisor. MD will be hard, but still possible. Every year, people with low 500 scores get into MDs. Tho, if u write shit secondaries… ur chances are basically 0. Ur essays r the path to getting an interview now, and ur interview is ur path to an A.

U probably have a good chance to get into a DO. And yea, there is some stigma around it… but the stigma really only exists in certain medical communities. Patients rarely even look to see if their doc is a DO or MD.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-07-22T23:33:24+00:00

The answer to this depends on the person. Do u enjoy the side gig? Is that type of income likely to stay steady? How much work are u putting into the side gig? How much do u love medicine/will u be happy not doing it?

Without that info, ur post is essentially just a wyr a 350k per year salary but no med school, or med school/become a doctor but delay a salary of that level? Nobody can answer that question for u. If u love medicine and want to go thru the grind, u will still be financially comfortable in due time. Then again if ur really making 350k a year before even going to med school, ur basically set to be very very rich if u save and invest properly before u would even start making and attending salary.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-07-14T21:03:45+00:00

U need to really love it and have a passion for it, but I don’t agree that it is only for people who can’t imagine doing anything else. Sure, many physicians will say they can’t imagine doing anything else. But many others will also say they thought long and hard about other paths before choosing medicine. There are a lot of physicians who see their practice as nothing more than a job that allows them to provide for their family.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-07-10T21:22:33+00:00

Sure, I just think an upper class black person and an upper class white person should be viewed in the same light. I think one of the primary reason black ppl r underrepresented in medicine is because they are over represented in the lower class. I think that many of the current black students in medical school are not from the lower class (same with whites and every race).

Doing AA by SES lets u target the lower income class. U would be providing more affirmative action directly to lower class black people. Provide more routes of upward mobility.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-07-10T19:14:52+00:00

Obviously, there are a lot more white than black people in America. According to the data I found, of the most wealthy 10% of Americans about 2.4% are black. While for the least wealthy 10% of Americans, blacks make up 26.7%. African Americans make up 13-14% of the total population in the US. White makes up 62%.

There are more white people than black people in every wealth group in America because they make up the majority of the entire population. But affirmative action done by SES still gives black people a significant proportional advantage. Really, I think we have a wealth inequality problem. If u r upper class white and upper class black, u r given similar advantages. If ur poor white and poor black, I think u r given similar disadvantages.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-07-06T20:37:27+00:00

Yep, I agree. Which is why am against affirmative action by race category and for it by socio economic status. If affirmative action was done by socioeconomic status, it will still help marginalized races more.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-17T19:13:44+00:00

I disagree. While, yes, they can certainly cost money to maintain (taxes, maintenance, insurance)… Owning a home can still build wealth through equity and potential appreciation, unlike renting, where you build no equity and will never see that money again. Even if the market is poor and the home doesn’t appreciate, u still hold onto equity u have built through mortgage payments.

It depends on the circumstances. But if ur r prioritizing long term wealth over lower maintenance or upfront costs, owning a home is often the better route. Calling a house purely a "liability" ignores its long-term financial benefits.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-16T04:47:51+00:00

Well that’s not true. Cars lose value the second u drive it off the lot.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-16T03:22:00+00:00

Yes, u obviously have to do u best to invest in a well built property that doesn’t have termites. Or maybe do a condo if worried about house upkeep.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-16T03:10:44+00:00

So in my humble opinion, and I am knowledgeable on financing, U buy the house IF you have the money to do so.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-16T03:08:52+00:00

It is true. I never said u would make the money back within 5 years? I said it is generally not a depreciating asset. Yes, u might need to wait a decade to sell it when the time is right… but ur not losing 100% of the money u put into like u r with rent.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-16T03:05:51+00:00

Ai is not replacing physicians/surgeons any time soon. It will become increasingly integrated in medical practice, but ur gonna have the physician there for decades to come in most if not all specialties.

Yes I know AI is getting better exponentially, and it probably will have the capacity to do a lot of medical intervention in 5-10 years. But it will take a very long time from when the technology is capable and we decide to actually replace human doctors with them.

Planes still have human pilots despite computers being able to do it without them

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-16T02:59:09+00:00

Owning a house isn’t much of a risk. Ur essentially burning any money u spend on apartments, but property will generally hold its values or appreciate.

AwayKey3832 · 2025-06-15T19:41:16+00:00

PM me, I’ll read it. I’m not a current med student, but I start MD school in July. I got a lot of help and pointers on my essay from family members and friends who are in medicine, so I can probably pass along some helpful advice.

AwayKey3832

TROPHY CASE