If med school had no debt, would it be worth it?

[connie95]

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A lot of the complaints/regrets I hear about medical school have to do with debt. BUT if you could go to medical school completely free of debt, would you still pursue it?

I know the other factors have to do with excessive time length (at least 11 yrs) and lack of a social/family life…but these can be overcome right? I mean, it's not like every doctor has to wait until they are done training to start a family. I'm sure there's people who manage to balance friends, family and med school at the same time. If medical school truly meant a stop to your life and happiness, I can't imagine why everyone would want to go through with it.

Any thoughts?

 

[allantois]

Ridiculous.

 

[claduva94]

Seeing as there are quite a few people willing to take on $200k+ in debt I don't see the point of your question?

 

[deleted407021]

If someone gave you a free Ferrari, would you take it? What's the bloody logic of this question?

 

[claduva94]

If someone gave you a free Ferrari, would you take it?

But the taxes... 😉 And the insurance...

 

[connie95]

Maybe I didn't pose the question properly…I'm trying to figure out if medical school (assuming money is not a problem) is worth the time taken away from your entire 20s and early 30s. I know we have to make a lot of sacrifices, but hearing all these stories about doctors getting divorced, having kids at like 40, high suicide rates and depression makes me a bit frightened. That's not what I had in mind when it comes to sacrifices. Am I wrong in thinking this? Or is this all true in the medical profession?

 

[deleted407021]

I don't see how the removal of debt suddenly either introduces or makes worse any of the other consequences that go into medical education. Your question still makes no sense.

 

[hoihaie]

it's already worth it with the debt

 

[Doudline]

If someone gave you a free Ferrari, would you take it? What's the bloody logic of this question?

You evil capitalist, you. 😉

 

[CharmanderMD]

Haha I literally thought about how this question could make sense for about five minutes. I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who's confused.

 

[La Presse]

A lot of PhDs graduate with no debt. 😛 But you know...

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

If someone gave you a free Ferrari, would you take it? What's the bloody logic of this question?

It depends on the color. I like blue Ferraris.

 

[claduva94]

A lot of PhDs graduate with no debt. 😛 But you know...

But at that point you have to decide whether it is worth an extra four years in school.

 

[Ismet]

What is this I don't even...

Maybe I didn't pose the question properly…I'm trying to figure out if medical school (assuming money is not a problem) is worth the time taken away from your entire 20s and early 30s.

Yes.

But your hypotheticals still make no sense. I'm paying over $200,000 AND "sacrificing" my 20s to go into medicine...I'm not sure how removing the debt makes it more or less worth it. Removing the debt obviously makes it more worth the sacrifice.

 

[Lamel]

Better question is if MD salaries were capped at 100k, would it still be worth it? (Assume debt is still there).

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Better question is if MD salaries were capped at 100k, would it still be worth it? (Assume debt is still there).

I propose a similar hypothetical, but I'm raising the cap to 200k (I live in Manhattan). Doctors wouldn't live here (nor in San Francisco) with a 100k salary.

 

[Lamel]

I propose a similar hypothetical, but I'm raising the cap to 200k (I live in Manhattan). Doctors wouldn't live here (nor in San Francisco) with a 100k salary.

Nah, 200K is too much to really squeeze people. Primary care docs make less than that as it is.

 

[allantois]

Better question is if MD salaries were capped at 100k, would it still be worth it? (Assume debt is still there).

I vote no

 

[darklabel]

Nah, 200K is too much to really squeeze people. Primary care docs make less than that as it is.

But then you can be a PA or a Nurse Practitioner without having to go through all the b.s. for that kind of salary. Also, making 100k a year with all the debt still makes it an even worse proposition.

 

[Lamel]

I vote no

Maybe I should make a thread and a poll along with it...

But then you can be a PA or a Nurse Practitioner without having to go through all the b.s. for that kind of salary. Also, making 100k a year with all the debt still makes it an even worse proposition.

Yeah well that's the point, would you still choose medical school over the other options?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Nah, 200K is too much to really squeeze people. Primary care docs make less than that as it is.

Fair enough, a 100k cap for doctors that currently make up to 300k, and a 200k cap for those that earn more than 300k.
(Let's be kinder to the docs that train 5+ years after med school).

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Maybe I should make a thread and a poll along with it...

Please do it. Or else I'll make one with another "1984-esque" scenario.

 

[Ismet]

Maybe I should make a thread and a poll along with it...

I was about to say let's not and say we did, but I guess it happened. 😛

 

[James1992]

I think OP is asking if the sacrifice of your 20s is more deterring than the large amount of debt. That's the only way I can make sense of this question. If med school had no debt, would you still want to go or would the sacrifice of an easier 20s still discourage you from pursing it. Obviously this would be the wrong place to ask this question though because I can safely assume most of us want to become doctors.

 

[darkjedi]

Maybe I didn't pose the question properly…I'm trying to figure out if medical school (assuming money is not a problem) is worth the time taken away from your entire 20s and early 30s. I know we have to make a lot of sacrifices, but hearing all these stories about doctors getting divorced, having kids at like 40, high suicide rates and depression makes me a bit frightened. That's not what I had in mind when it comes to sacrifices. Am I wrong in thinking this? Or is this all true in the medical profession?

Here's the thing. What is your alternative for what you will be doing in your 20s? I assume a full time job. When I was working in finance, I was working 60-80hrs a week and barely had a life. Any industry where you expect to be compensated well, you will devote a good chunk of your life to your work. I've found that I've enjoyed by 20's and life in general way more now than I did while slaving away at a job I didn't like. The fact that you are 'sacrificing' your 20's seems like nonsense to me, because it's not like the real world is a vacation.

Residency is a different story, but even then, it's a job.

 

[clairephillips]

As a teacher, where I make about what residents make each year, I already work crazy hard during the school year, routinely putting in 12 to 15 hour days and working 60+ hours a week with little free time. I guarantee you, most professionals, regardless of pay, work those kinds of hours (although, of course, I have the summers mostly off). In today's American workaholic society, it's up to you what kind of work you do, but you will make major sacrifices and work very hard. Far better to do that at something you love than at something you don't. That's why I took the MCAT August 7th and am applying this year!

 

[DermViser]

Maybe I didn't pose the question properly…I'm trying to figure out if medical school (assuming money is not a problem) is worth the time taken away from your entire 20s and early 30s. I know we have to make a lot of sacrifices, but hearing all these stories about doctors getting divorced, having kids at like 40, high suicide rates and depression makes me a bit frightened. That's not what I had in mind when it comes to sacrifices. Am I wrong in thinking this? Or is this all true in the medical profession?

Yes, it is true.

 

[Gauss44]

A lot of the complaints/regrets I hear about medical school have to do with debt. BUT if you could go to medical school completely free of debt, would you still pursue it?

I know the other factors have to do with excessive time length (at least 11 yrs) and lack of a social/family life…but these can be overcome right? I mean, it's not like every doctor has to wait until they are done training to start a family. I'm sure there's people who manage to balance friends, family and med school at the same time. If medical school truly meant a stop to your life and happiness, I can't imagine why everyone would want to go through with it.

Any thoughts?

I believe that some countries already have free medical school, as well as, free education at all levels.

I would definitely still pursue medical school if there were no debt involved, AND I would settle for lower pay given the lack of debt. This might be a solution (or partial solution) to some of the money-driven evils associated with the healthcare system.