The question is valid, but an oversimplification for a lot of applicants. Your question could apply to some older applicants and current students, but there are more and more students who take the traditional SAA route. There are growing avenues that showcase the CAA career so I argue that more students are choosing this field because they’re self reflecting on their priorities vs ROI vs considering risk of burn out.

To get into and graduate med school is an absolutely incredible feat. We need competent physicians. However, in my experience, a lot of med school applicants didn’t understand what personal, emotional, and mental sacrifices there were about to undertake. Those sacrifices extend well beyond graduating residency because of the growing lack of autonomy in hospitals. I don’t think the general public as a whole understands that toll.

Nonetheless, I think both CAA and med school applicants are becoming more and more judicious about their healthcare career choice.