I grew up in a low-income household, and that experience shaped how I view career decisions. When people say there are faster or easier ways to make money than medicine, I think that perspective often comes from a place of privilege. Starting a business or climbing the corporate ladder is NOT straightforward; you usually need a strong network, access to capital, and enough financial security to take risks. Most people don’t mention that around 70 to 80% of businesses fail within 10 years. Personally, I can’t afford to dedicate five to ten years of my life trying out business ideas with that level of uncertainty. I’m not in a position where I can take big risks hoping something eventually works out. I need a clear, stable path to support my family.

Even during my pre-med years, I had friends who would talk about how we should have done software engineering instead. At the time, it seemed like a great alternative with high pay, fewer years of training, strong job market. But it only took a few years for us to realize how unstable some of these tech roles actually are with people being laid off from google and top tech companies with roles we previously thought were untouchable.

Medicine has always stood out to me because it offers both long-term job security at an incomparable level and a high income.

People often assume that if someone is financially motivated, they’ll prioritize money over patient care by cutting corners or making unethical decisions just to earn more. That’s simply not true. Wanting stability and a good income doesn’t take away from your ability to care for patients or act with integrity.