•••quote:•••Originally posted by Gotrob:
•Most of what is being said is true. Some strippers probably make as much or more than some doctors. Some lawyers, some small business owners, some teachers, make as much or more than some doctors. But...and this is a big BUT...it is not as easy as everyone seems to think. The absolute lowest ranked medical student that graduates will have the opportunity to make well over $100,000 dollars. There are many, many lawyers who can't afford to pay their rent much less their student loans. How many small businesses fail every year? How many tech gurus are out of jobs right now? No, I don't think you should become a doctor SOLEY for the paycheck, but it would be a mistake to think all future doctors would be better off financially in another field.
well...maybe if they all became dentists•••••Here is the response....
I just came back from a trip to Boston visiting some highschool/college friends who are now at Boston U Law and Harvard Law. My friend is at top 1/3 of BU law whose class size is like and my other friend is at the middle of Harvard Law whose class size is 500ish. Both of them are making 120-150k next year as starting salary.
Here are some arguments:
1) With an Ivy undergrad GPA of 3.85 and MCAT of 38, I believe that I could have pulled off a decent LSAT to get into a top 10 law school (or if not, at least I could go to BU and be at top 1/3. after all, law school and med school demand memorization and reading, albeit reading materials are a bit different). Law schools look at your numbers and admit you, no interview necessary.
2) My friends have basically stopped working hard in school since beginning of 2nd year. In the beginning of 2nd year, you apply and obtain a summer internship between your 2nd and 3rd year summer. Hence only your first year's grades matter. And if you don't screw up your internship job majorly, then you will get a permanent position with that same firm when you graduate. That's how my two friends got their jobs. They have been cruising since 2nd year of law school. This is vastly different than med school where every year counts more and more (clinical years are weighted heavier than basic science years) toward residencies. And for some who aim for hot-shot fields, they have to do research during summers or whatever time they can find. Even during 4th year, some med students still want to do an away rotation at another hospital of their first choice and work their asses off to impress some stupid attendings to secure a coveted residency spot.
3) My friends are going to be 24 yo when they starting rolling in the sure dough of 120+k. When I am 24, I will be in 4th year med school and still have 3-10 years of residency after that. And all the higher paying residencies require more years of training. Internist, family docs and general pediatrician pretty much max out at 200-250k.
Therefore, what I am emphasizing on is opportunity cost. I could have used my high undergrad GPA and good standardize testing skill to get into a top 10 or 5 law school and secure 6-figure salary upon graduation, but I did not. Going to law school requires one fewer year of tuition +living expense AND immediate dough right after graduation. Plus, it does not hurt while my friends are set on their jobs by the beginning of their 2nd year law school, while I have to be on-call and kiss up to attendings AND residents even during my 3rd year of med school.
Hope this clears up the comparison more.
