re post got in, but expensive should i go?

[PushupsForAll]

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hi i already posted this in the pre-med forum but id like some med students opinion on the matter as well. here is the post. if you commented on the past post please dont re-comment

Okay...so long story short. always wanted to be a doctor blah blah blah.
22 year old now graduated w/ 3.6 in bio, 497 score. didnt get in the first time applying with my 495 score. Now recently got into a DO program.

Was super excited, so happy that all my hard work paid off, all my student loans from college were worth it blah blah. owe about 70k right now with interest.

my school starts next coming fall but i am faced with a horrendous dilemma. My program will cost me 80k a year, tuition is like 50k and the rest is for living expenses like rent food supplies and that kind of stuff. I have done the math and after i graduate after 4 years. my total compounded total w/ interest and principal from both DO program and undergrad will be about 564K (that's A LOT). like 3,500-5,000 a month per monthly payment.

i really want to be a doctor. literally college was mostly "work hard get into med school". Right now i am facing this problem of not knowing whether or not this is a good idea. I can always try to apply again after another year as i'm still working as a chief scribe at a hospital and always apply w/ more experience. I just cannot wrap my head around how much money i am taking out and how much I will be paying out. loans for college were kinda crazy when i was taking them out but 320k just for PRINCIPAL?!?!?! Like i said i do really want to be a doctor and im note even talkign about the whole "studying for 8 years, and lack of social life" thing, but i dont even know how the hell i would even be able to make payments without working like 60-80 hours a week and not making money until im like 40....and i am not in the interest of starting living and enjoying life at the age of 40. sacrificing living life until 32 is already a sacrifice in itself.

anyway. I'd like some insight. I am correct to be concerned about this or is really just not a big deal as i am making it out to be? Bottom line is, I wanna be a doc, but not enough to end up making like an average profited salary of like only 50-60k /year after residency is over. Let me know what you guys think. all opinions welcome, but please do not say something distasteful. I'm really lost and don't know what to do.

 

[IslandStyle808]

You can also moonlight during residency to help keep the loans down. And depending on the field you are in and where you live can also negotiate with hospitals to pay some of your loans. Plus being 22 puts you in a far better position to earn more later in life. I don't believe it will take you till your 40s to pay it all off.

Just putting this here also.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

People buy million dollar houses with jobs that pay 1/4 of what the average physician makes. You can buy a half million dollar home and end up in the same situation as them. There are definitely ways to pay it off and still be able to have your dream and a life of relative luxury.

 

[wysdoc]

hi i already posted this in the pre-med forum but id like some med students opinion on the matter as well. here is the post. if you commented on the past post please dont re-comment

Okay...so long story short. always wanted to be a doctor blah blah blah.
22 year old now graduated w/ 3.6 in bio, 497 score. didnt get in the first time applying with my 495 score. Now recently got into a DO program.

Was super excited, so happy that all my hard work paid off, all my student loans from college were worth it blah blah. owe about 70k right now with interest.

my school starts next coming fall but i am faced with a horrendous dilemma. My program will cost me 80k a year, tuition is like 50k and the rest is for living expenses like rent food supplies and that kind of stuff. I have done the math and after i graduate after 4 years. my total compounded total w/ interest and principal from both DO program and undergrad will be about 564K (that's A LOT). like 3,500-5,000 a month per monthly payment.

i really want to be a doctor. literally college was mostly "work hard get into med school". Right now i am facing this problem of not knowing whether or not this is a good idea. I can always try to apply again after another year as i'm still working as a chief scribe at a hospital and always apply w/ more experience. I just cannot wrap my head around how much money i am taking out and how much I will be paying out. loans for college were kinda crazy when i was taking them out but 320k just for PRINCIPAL?!?!?! Like i said i do really want to be a doctor and im note even talkign about the whole "studying for 8 years, and lack of social life" thing, but i dont even know how the hell i would even be able to make payments without working like 60-80 hours a week and not making money until im like 40....and i am not in the interest of starting living and enjoying life at the age of 40. sacrificing living life until 32 is already a sacrifice in itself.

anyway. I'd like some insight. I am correct to be concerned about this or is really just not a big deal as i am making it out to be? Bottom line is, I wanna be a doc, but not enough to end up making like an average profited salary of like only 50-60k /year after residency is over. Let me know what you guys think. all opinions welcome, but please do not say something distasteful. I'm really lost and don't know what to do.

Why is the cost of med school such a surprise to you? Live frugally during med school and you might not need to borrow as much as they estimate. Paying it off is no worse than making home mortgage payments.

 

[PushupsForAll]

Why is the cost of med school such a surprise to you? Live frugally during med school and you might not need to borrow as much as they estimate. Paying it off is no worse than making home mortgage payments.

not so much of a surprise to me. i just keep seeing people talking about how they are only having to take out like 150k and like 200k is considered to be a lot....but im like way over that at 320k plus my undergrad loans. so it's kinda something i need to consider, but again being my age i dont have knowledge of how numbers this big play out in reality.

 

[thepoopologist]

500k debt is the new reality, especially for DO graduates

1. It will definitely affect you post residency

2. It is controllable, but it really depends on the specialty you choose, whether you decide to refinance after medical school (there are programs currently that allow you to refinance at a low interest rate and pay 100/month while you are in residency) or stay with federal loans, and the job you ultimately land.

3. If you jump into medical school, keep in mind that academic success is imperative to your financial success, while at the same time keeping your mental and physical health well.

4. I thought it was worth it, though the process is not without its costs (and I'm not just talking financial). I'm 7 months out of residency. I still live for the most part like a resident, and am putting 10-15k/month into my loans for now. It is really satisfying to see the amount I owe go down each month. The only difference is if my car breaks down I can fix it, or I want to go have a 500 dollar dinner because maybe its the end of the week or I had a bad day, I can do it.

 

[FourniersGreenGang]

Welcome to med school baby! That price tag is fairly usual, hell it's even better than what you could be spending. Be thankful you didn't get into one of the midwesterns. Yes it's expensive but you make it work. If you think it's too pricy, but you still want to work in patient care, and can put your (the royal your, not yours in particular as i dont know you) ego aside, look into PA school. Just remember, with less degree and less debt comes lower pay.

 

[deleted707454]

I reconciled this to myself by getting a military scholarship. Not for everyone, but is an increasingly better deal considering the shaky future of DO graduates, and probably no more public service loan forgiveness. They pay my full tuition and fees, pay me 2300 a month, and also gave me 20k for signing. I probably have a better shot at residencies with the Army compared to the regular civilian route. If I flunk out (Everyone should consider what they will do if they fail out of school), I won't have to pay back the 200,000+ in loans with money, but can still pay back with time served as a regular military officer. That was huge for me. No real risk in it.

think 10 years in the future - no one knows for sure, but primary care physician salaries may indeed decrease. There is an influx of midlevels, and an influx of DOs. The way I see it, I will make 100,000 take home after insurance, etc. I do not want to pay back 400,000, nor have the pressure of having to pay back that or lesser amount if I fail out of school. With my B.S., I could maybe get a job making 60k annually on the high side. I heard there is a study on HPSP student satisfaction compared to others. Less mental illness, higher satisfaction, etc. Thus far true in my case. If any know that study, please link .

Military isn't all what its portrayed in television. Common thing is lot of people able to roll with the punches and tolerate some BS every now and then. But HPSP is way better deal now than its been in the past.

 

[TattedMed]

hi i already posted this in the pre-med forum but id like some med students opinion on the matter as well. here is the post. if you commented on the past post please dont re-comment

Okay...so long story short. always wanted to be a doctor blah blah blah.
22 year old now graduated w/ 3.6 in bio, 497 score. didnt get in the first time applying with my 495 score. Now recently got into a DO program.

Was super excited, so happy that all my hard work paid off, all my student loans from college were worth it blah blah. owe about 70k right now with interest.

my school starts next coming fall but i am faced with a horrendous dilemma. My program will cost me 80k a year, tuition is like 50k and the rest is for living expenses like rent food supplies and that kind of stuff. I have done the math and after i graduate after 4 years. my total compounded total w/ interest and principal from both DO program and undergrad will be about 564K (that's A LOT). like 3,500-5,000 a month per monthly payment.

i really want to be a doctor. literally college was mostly "work hard get into med school". Right now i am facing this problem of not knowing whether or not this is a good idea. I can always try to apply again after another year as i'm still working as a chief scribe at a hospital and always apply w/ more experience. I just cannot wrap my head around how much money i am taking out and how much I will be paying out. loans for college were kinda crazy when i was taking them out but 320k just for PRINCIPAL?!?!?! Like i said i do really want to be a doctor and im note even talkign about the whole "studying for 8 years, and lack of social life" thing, but i dont even know how the hell i would even be able to make payments without working like 60-80 hours a week and not making money until im like 40....and i am not in the interest of starting living and enjoying life at the age of 40. sacrificing living life until 32 is already a sacrifice in itself.

anyway. I'd like some insight. I am correct to be concerned about this or is really just not a big deal as i am making it out to be? Bottom line is, I wanna be a doc, but not enough to end up making like an average profited salary of like only 50-60k /year after residency is over. Let me know what you guys think. all opinions welcome, but please do not say something distasteful. I'm really lost and don't know what to do.

I think the real question you’re asking is, “is this really worth it?” None of that can answer that for you, but what I can say is that if it were easy everyone would do it. Now, financially it seems like you’ll be fighting an uphill battle but like others have suggested, there’s things you can do to compensate for having to take out such a large amount in loans. Personally, I think it could be A LOT worse but it could also be A LOT better. I’m not sure where you get the 30k/year living expenses, but I’m sure you could cut that almost in half. Either way, it’s doable and you shouldn’t have that hard of a time paying all that back with time to live. After all, you are 22 and finding students making it in at such a young age is becoming more and more difficult.

I reconciled this to myself by getting a military scholarship. Not for everyone, but is an increasingly better deal considering the shaky future of DO graduates, and probably no more public service loan forgiveness. They pay my full tuition and fees, pay me 2300 a month, and also gave me 20k for signing. I probably have a better shot at residencies with the Army compared to the regular civilian route. If I flunk out (Everyone should consider what they will do if they fail out of school), I won't have to pay back the 200,000+ in loans with money, but can still pay back with time served as a regular military officer. That was huge for me. No real risk in it.

think 10 years in the future - no one knows for sure, but primary care physician salaries may indeed decrease. There is an influx of midlevels, and an influx of DOs. The way I see it, I will make 100,000 take home after insurance, etc. I do not want to pay back 400,000, nor have the pressure of having to pay back that or lesser amount if I fail out of school. With my B.S., I could maybe get a job making 60k annually on the high side. I heard there is a study on HPSP student satisfaction compared to others. Less mental illness, higher satisfaction, etc. Thus far true in my case. If any know that study, please link .

Military isn't all what its portrayed in television. Common thing is lot of people able to roll with the punches and tolerate some BS every now and then. But HPSP is way better deal now than its been in the past.

I wouldn’t blindly suggest seeking a military scholarship considering there is a lot that lies beneath the surface in what is expected of you and how hard it may be for you to land a residency spot in the specialty of your choice.

 

[Espressso]

500k debt is the new reality, especially for DO graduates

1. It will definitely affect you post residency

2. It is controllable, but it really depends on the specialty you choose, whether you decide to refinance after medical school (there are programs currently that allow you to refinance at a low interest rate and pay 100/month while you are in residency) or stay with federal loans, and the job you ultimately land.

3. If you jump into medical school, keep in mind that academic success is imperative to your financial success, while at the same time keeping your mental and physical health well.

4. I thought it was worth it, though the process is not without its costs (and I'm not just talking financial). I'm 7 months out of residency. I still live for the most part like a resident, and am putting 10-15k/month into my loans for now. It is really satisfying to see the amount I owe go down each month. The only difference is if my car breaks down I can fix it, or I want to go have a 500 dollar dinner because maybe its the end of the week or I had a bad day, I can do it.

+1 to this.

Couple points I'd make:

You should have thought about this in detail a while ago and see if that would have changed your mind about applying to the school you've been accepted to. They always say to only apply to schools that.. if it was your only acceptance.. you'd take it. You're in the same boat.

I'm a first year at a DO school that is 50k a year in tuition. The budget they sent us regarding COL was around 80k including tuition. I know a lot of classmates that took out 80k (the full amount) this year. They spend alot of money on weekend getaways, spring break trips, and party airbnb's. I don't. I believe depending on where your school is, you can take the schools budget and minimiize it big time. From 80k here at my school to 60-65k. Do you mind telling us which school? Or where the location is?

In your case, you should be definitely thinking about ways to do that because of your loans from UG. You have to live like a monk. But it's those kind of sacrifices that you and I and everyone here on this site make, in order to become a physician.

You said it yourself... you worked so hard for this. Now you're facing the cold-hard fact that it's expensive as hell. But you've been granted an acceptance while 60% don't get one. Don't forget how far you've come.

 

[TheRebels]

There’s generally a lot of gloom-and-doom in this website. But anyhow, since I am a few months away from graduation, this topic of “is-medicine-worth-it?” has been on my mind from a few different angles.

1) From the financial standpoint: let’s say I will practice general pediatrics in Chicago (what I’m pursuing). The average salary according MGMA (this salary encyclopedia) is $210k. Uncle Sam took his part and I have $150k. I don’t wanna get into the different repayment plan. But let’s say I just wanna be done with student loans ASAP. I take out $50k for living and $100k for student loans.
Living with $50k: assuming I’ll get married and have 2 kids by the time I start practicing and that my partner offers no financial assistance, I can easily find a really nice 2 bed, 2 bath for $2k. That’s $24k. You still have $26k just for food, utilities, tickets to see the Bulls, one or two vacation per year etc.
Because I come from a family with $30k total income, I can definitely living off $50k comfortably.
On the other hand, you still have $100k left. Essentially in 5 years, you can pay off all of your loans, interest and all.
This hypothetical plan doesn’t take into account savings, retirements, kids’ college fund, etc. Highly recommend you to read “The White Coat Investor”. But this plan does offers a reasonable and realistic example of loan paying off.

2) Living expectation: here’s my budget for the last 4 years. I go to school in the Chicago land area and I paid between $7800-$9200 for rents, internet and utilities (rents lowest at $650 and currently at $750). I picked up cooking during med school because I can save significantly and cooking is an excellent stress-reducing activity for me. I buy roughly $150 of grocery biweekly or $300 monthly and this is A LOT for a single dude. Adding in eating out and other expenses, my budget have been about $15k. I took out $20k my 4th year for interviews, applications and a lavish end-of-4th-year vacation.
Also, I did tutoring every now and then. I also did research over summer between M1-M2 and picked up $3k. All of my incomes essentially went to boards studying preps, signing up for boards, etc.
In short, you definitely don’t have to take out all $30k for living expenses and books and other ****s. Not even close.

3) Is medicine worth it?
You answer it yourself. But I’ll offer my perspective. I’ll never be poor as a doctor but I don’t think it’s financially satisfying. My engineer and computer science friends have been making money since age 22. They are way way ahead of me in terms of retirement savings, college debts, housing, fancy vacation trips, etc.
Med school is a long road with ups and downs, and same for residency and after (can’t speak for the latter because I haven’t done it)
But would I choose something else? No.
Despite all of those rough days at work and long nights of studying for exams and the crippling debt and the inefficiency the US medical system, I still draw inspiration and satisfaction from seeing a sick kid getting better. It still gives me purpose and motivation just so little Billy can go from dog sick to being a goofy 2 year old again.
Medicine can offer this incredible personal and sacred reward that very few other professions can.

To you OP, if you can be fiscally responsible, you can limit the financial strain in med school significantly. And medicine is still rewarding enough, in my opinion, to worth one’s lifelong commitment.

 

[PushupsForAll]

There’s generally a lot of gloom-and-doom in this website. But anyhow, since I am a few months away from graduation, this topic of “is-medicine-worth-it?” has been on my mind from a few different angles.

1) From the financial standpoint: let’s say I will practice general pediatrics in Chicago (what I’m pursuing). The average salary according MGMA (this salary encyclopedia) is $210k. Uncle Sam took his part and I have $150k. I don’t wanna get into the different repayment plan. But let’s say I just wanna be done with student loans ASAP. I take out $50k for living and $100k for student loans.
Living with $50k: assuming I’ll get married and have 2 kids by the time I start practicing and that my partner offers no financial assistance, I can easily find a really nice 2 bed, 2 bath for $2k. That’s $24k. You still have $26k just for food, utilities, tickets to see the Bulls, one or two vacation per year etc.
Because I come from a family with $30k total income, I can definitely living off $50k comfortably.
On the other hand, you still have $100k left. Essentially in 5 years, you can pay off all of your loans, interest and all.
This hypothetical plan doesn’t take into account savings, retirements, kids’ college fund, etc. Highly recommend you to read “The White Coat Investor”. But this plan does offers a reasonable and realistic example of loan paying off.

2) Living expectation: here’s my budget for the last 4 years. I go to school in the Chicago land area and I paid between $7800-$9200 for rents, internet and utilities (rents lowest at $650 and currently at $750). I picked up cooking during med school because I can save significantly and cooking is an excellent stress-reducing activity for me. I buy roughly $150 of grocery biweekly or $300 monthly and this is A LOT for a single dude. Adding in eating out and other expenses, my budget have been about $15k. I took out $20k my 4th year for interviews, applications and a lavish end-of-4th-year vacation.
Also, I did tutoring every now and then. I also did research over summer between M1-M2 and picked up $3k. All of my incomes essentially went to boards studying preps, signing up for boards, etc.
In short, you definitely don’t have to take out all $30k for living expenses and books and other ****s. Not even close.

3) Is medicine worth it?
You answer it yourself. But I’ll offer my perspective. I’ll never be poor as a doctor but I don’t think it’s financially satisfying. My engineer and computer science friends have been making money since age 22. They are way way ahead of me in terms of retirement savings, college debts, housing, fancy vacation trips, etc.
Med school is a long road with ups and downs, and same for residency and after (can’t speak for the latter because I haven’t done it)
But would I choose something else? No.
Despite all of those rough days at work and long nights of studying for exams and the crippling debt and the inefficiency the US medical system, I still draw inspiration and satisfaction from seeing a sick kid getting better. It still gives me purpose and motivation just so little Billy can go from dog sick to being a goofy 2 year old again.
Medicine can offer this incredible personal and sacred reward that very few other professions can.

To you OP, if you can be fiscally responsible, you can limit the financial strain in med school significantly. And medicine is still rewarding enough, in my opinion, to worth one’s lifelong commitment.

If it helps here are my expenses:
Tuition: $58K + small little grant they giving me of like 5800.
Housing (living in their appt complex with all utilities paid for) - $10,500/year
Mandatory insurance: $2500/per semester
Plus those small little lab fees and a med kit, looking at like $69,000 for basics....then comes food and everything else.

hopefully that will help explain why im in such a pickle regarding how much is needed to be taken out.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

OP, I feel that your math is off.

70k in undergrad debt + 320k of principle meds school debt = 390k.

Are you telling me that the interests on your undergrad loans plus med school loans during the next 4 years will amount to 180k? That’s inconceivable.

If we assume 7% rate on your med school loans, you will accrue about 60k of debt during medical school. Now, your overall burden becomes 450k plus whatever you’ll accrue in interests on your undergrad loans, which shouldn’t exceed 20k.

Therefore I think your math is off by 100k.

Still not pretty

 

[PushupsForAll]

it may be. i assumed interest was compounded and compounded all of it including my undergrad. so i could be a little off but not by 100k. still a lot either way

 

[Postictal Raiden]

I’m two months away from graduating.

I started school with 50k from undergrad.

I took more than 80k a year for med school.

As of today, my loan balance is 450k+/-5k.

 

[hallowmann]

not so much of a surprise to me. i just keep seeing people talking about how they are only having to tke out like 150k and like 200k is considered to be a lot....but im like way over that at 320k plus my undergrad loans. so it's kinda something i need to consider, but again being my age i dont have knowledge of how numbers this big play out in reality.

The average MD school debt is approaching $200k ($180k-$190k), and the average DO school debt for those who take out loans (like 85-95% depending on the school) is >$200k. Unless those people have sweet deals or go to very cheap schools I think they are underestimating things.

it may be. i assumed interest was compounded and compounded all of it including my undergrad. so i could be a little off but not by 100k. still a lot either way

Like others have said, I think your math is a bit off, but probably not >$100k off. You'll expect to end with somewhere in the realm of $500k in debt, which will likely be ~$600k by the time you're done with residency. What you have to realize though, is that you'll be making a 6-figure salary no matter what field you end up in.

I could tell you right now that my current family, could live comfortably on the salary we are getting in my residency. I am in a lower COL area, and my salary is mid-high middle range for residency. We don't really spend extravagantly, and honestly if I were single, I'd probably be able to live off of 1/2 of what I am now.

In a couple years I'll be able to double my salary with 1 weekend of moonlighting a month if I want to and pay down loans then. When I finish, I'll probably be making at least 3-4x what I'm making now. If I live like a resident after residency, I could easily pay off $100k/yr, while still living as comfortably as I am now. I could also get a deal where an employer pays $150-$200k of student loans over the course of 3-5 yrs, and still pay off $80k-$100k/yr in loans (if I really wanted to).

The truth is there are options. Are you going to be hitting the jackpot once you leave residency? No. You'll be working. It'll be hard, stressful, and the level of responsibility that comes with patient care is enormous, but you won't be scraping to get by. If you work hard, make responsible financial decisions, and live frugally (like you're in debt - which you will be) you'll be fine.

The real question is whether or not all of that is worth it. Once you pass go, its a lot harder to call it quits when you've got a mountain of loans looming over you. You do have to decide is another decade and a half of work or living on a 5-figure salary is worth the benefits that come with being a doctor.

 

[Postictal Raiden]

The average MD school debt is approaching $200k ($180k-$190k), and the average DO school debt for those who take out loans (like 85-95% depending on the school) is >$200k. Unless those people have sweet deals or go to very cheap schools I think they are underestimating things.



Like others have said, I think your math is a bit off, but probably not >$100k off. You'll expect to end with somewhere in the realm of $500k in debt, which will likely be ~$600k by the time you're done with residency. What you have to realize though, is that you'll be making a 6-figure salary no matter what field you end up in.

I could tell you right now that my current family, could live comfortably on the salary we are getting in my residency. I am in a lower COL area, and my salary is mid-high middle range for residency. We don't really spend extravagantly, and honestly if I were single, I'd probably be able to live off of 1/2 of what I am now.

In a couple years I'll be able to double my salary with 1 weekend of moonlighting a month if I want to and pay down loans then. When I finish, I'll probably be making at least 3-4x what I'm making now. If I live like a resident after residency, I could easily pay off $100k/yr, while still living as comfortably as I am now. I could also get a deal where an employer pays $150-$200k of student loans over the course of 3-5 yrs, and still pay off $80k-$100k/yr in loans (if I really wanted to).

The truth is there are options. Are you going to be hitting the jackpot once you leave residency? No. You'll be working. It'll be hard, stressful, and the level of responsibility that comes with patient care is enormous, but you won't be scraping to get by. If you work hard, make responsible financial decisions, and live frugally (like you're in debt - which you will be) you'll be fine.

The real question is whether or not all of that is worth it. Once you pass go, its a lot harder to call it quits when you've got a mountain of loans looming over you. You do have to decide is another decade and a half of work or living on a 5-figure salary is worth the benefits that come with being a doctor.

I disagree,he’s way off. Like 20% off. Sorry, I am anal about this because it irritates me when people can’t do simple arithmetic.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Even 400k in educational debt is pretty absolutely terrifying. Especially considering that public loan service forgiveness is probably on the way out.

 

[hallowmann]

I disagree,he’s way off. Like 20% off. Sorry, I am anal about this because it irritates me when people can’t do simple arithmetic.

20% off is like $112k. I said probably not more than $100k, or ~18%. So what, we disagree on $12k (or 2%)?

Not that it matters, but we're all making guesses without more detail. We have no idea what their Ugrad loans were, subsidized or not, private or not. We also have no idea where interest rates will be since they can get as high as like 10%. I think its not unrealistic for OP to expect a total in the $450-$500k range depending on quite a bit of other factors.

Something else that hasn't even been talked about (and rarely is in these threads) is tuition increases. Some schools increase tuition by as much as 4% a year. If OP's tuition is $58k with that kind of an increase, that's ~$14k extra (plus interest) we haven't even talked about.

My point in the post was that OP's probably off on the numbers, but its not completely unrealistic for them to come out of med school with loans in the $450k-$500k range.

 

[kubyx]

Keep in mind that there is always serious money to be made in medicine, far above what most people plug into their hypothetical calculators, particularly if you're willing to work in less desirable areas. My parents' home was previously owned by a FM doctor. For a year or so they would receive recruiter mailings asking for the previous owner to consider jobs in more rural parts of MN/WI/Dakotas, and some of them were literally approaching 450k + benes with the right location / skills / productivity.

Not only that, but I am starting to suspect that doctors under-report their salaries so that they appear to earn less to the lay public. I say this because you'll often see salaries that have a reported average salary of like.. 260k, and yet if you look at private recruiter sites, you'll find these same specialties have an abundance of jobs in the 4-5-600k salary + production range. I'm not saying every specialist out there is earning half a mil, but I think there are more opportunities than some people realize.

In the end, if you're concerned about money, there is always something you can do in the way of hours / location to seriously up your income. 500k is a daunting amount to take out, but manageable. It's just really quite important that you don't lose sight of paying your loans down early instead of buying a lambo the moment the ink signs on your first job.

 

[osteodoc7]

Typical pre med mindset. Work like nothing else matters for four years until you finally get that acceptance, and then before you know it its no longer that impressive. If you would have asked me last year what I would do to get a DO acceptance I would have said literately anything (withing reason). But now having a few offers i'm starting to think I could do much more. It's just how premeds are wired. We are driven and shoot for goals and once we obtain them we still are somehow not contempt.
I struggled with the cost of medical school for a while. My struggle was more concerns about financial freedom and being able to repay my loans. It seems like your struggle is "living and enjoying life at 32" whatever that means. Do you not think you could live and enjoy life off a 60,000 salary (while paying loans)? What lifestyle brings you joy? Do you need trips to Europe or the caribs?
Right now I'm living off like a $35,000 salary while loving and enjoying life. I workout all the time, looking better than ever, crush beers at cheap venues, do cheap trips to the beach blah blah blah... I'm happy. The median household income is like $55,000. I'm sure you'll be able to enjoy life off that salary.