would this be wrong to mention in an interview ??

[dextor2003]

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when i get asked about why i want to be a doctor, should i bring up money as one of my reasons ?

my family comes from a really disadvantaged financial background. and honestly, i wouldnt want my own family to live the same meager life i endured...would this be ok to mention in an interview ? i feel like the interviewer will think that im just trying to play with his emotions to get him to feel sorry for me or whatever, which im not trying to do at all...im just being completely honest

and money's still definitely one of the smaller reasons...i really just want to be able to make enough to live in a decent house where i can keep my family happy..otherwise i would go for something other than being a pediatrician

 

[flip26]

Don't do it.

Memorize a stock answer, but don't ever say "show me the money!"

And if you are really interested in money, you are in the wrong field. You won't make any real money for 10+ years, and will have accumulated a couple hundred thousand dollars in debt.

 

[CoolWhipp]

when i get asked about why i want to be a doctor, should i bring up money as one of my reasons ?

my family comes from a really disadvantaged financial background. and honestly, i wouldnt want my own family to live the same meager life i endured...would this be ok to mention in an interview ? i feel like the interviewer will think that im just trying to play with his emotions to get him to feel sorry for me or whatever, which im not trying to do at all...im just being completely honest

and money's still definitely one of the smaller reasons...i really just want to be able to make enough to live in a decent house where i can keep my family happy..otherwise i would go for something other than being a pediatrician

If you try to swing it by saying you want to be a doctor for money, you will look like an idiot. You should modify the way you say it, because it seems like you have good intentions but you are just expressing them idiotically. You can get the same point across by emphasizing that you want to become a doctor not only to give back to your community but to your family that has helped you get this far. Play on the fact that you want to give back, set a foundation, become a role model, whatever.

 

[dextor2003]

thanks guys...that really helps...ive never been good with words...will definitely keep your ideas in mind

and btw. ive never really been interested in the money. my family and friends can attest to the number of times ive said "i dont care about the money"...3 years ago i wanted to be a nurse. only because id get to spend more time with patients than i would as a doctor...but as time went by, and my family's financial crisis kept getting worse, i thought becoming a doctor would allow me to better support my family than becoming a nurse

thanks again

 

[ohgodidonteven]

dextor, you won't be able to support your family until 7-10 years later (and even then it's not like you're rolling the money) and if your financial crisis hasn't resolved itself by then, becoming a doctor would not have helped.

 

[LordATPSynthase]

can mention job security.. financial security etc respect. it is important how you say it and don't just say "money"

 

[dextor2003]

i think you and i have different interpretations of the word "support"...my primary goal is to get my parents out of a small messed up apartment and into a nice, decent place. im not expecting a 5 bedroom, 2 garage, $400K house right off the bad.. i know that will take time. i just dont want them struggling to pay bills for a place thats not even worth it

and i think i may have misphrased (like i said, im bad with words)...my family isnt really in a financial "crisis" per say. its just that both of them have never made over 40k total in their life, and theyve gone through so much to make whatever they do...countless job switiches, countless moving. and i hate it. and now theyve been unemployed for the past year. currently, my family's currently living off its savings. its this type of lifestyle that i want them to not suffer anymore. thats all i want....initially at least

and like i said. money isnt my sole reason for becoming a doctor. its my last reason. im going into medicine for my love of science. for my love of helping. for my love of kids.

sorry if it sounds like im going off...

 

[jm192]

Don't mention it at all.

Even if you worded it to perfection, someone could hear something about money/financial stability/job security and interpret it as you're going into it for the money.

The truth is, everyone likes the job security financial stability. Why in the world would you go through 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 3+ years of residency to come out making 12,000$ a year?

Just...don't mention it to them. To a degree, they know that much. Just don't say anything to give them a reason to believe you're in it for the money.

 

[dextor2003]

Don't mention it at all.

Even if you worded it to perfection, someone could hear something about money/financial stability/job security and interpret it as you're going into it for the money.

The truth is, everyone likes the job security financial stability. Why in the world would you go through 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 3+ years of residency to come out making 12,000$ a year?

Just...don't mention it to them. To a degree, they know that much. Just don't say anything to give them a reason to believe you're in it for the money.

that definitely helps. wont bring it up in interviews at all then.

thanks a lot

 

[mspeedwagon]

OP, where do you live that a 5 bedroom, 2 garage house is only $400k? You'd be lucky to get a 2 bedroom condo in my area for that. Even with the real estate crash, short of living in Fargo, ND, I think that you are grossly underestimating the price of a 5 bdrm place.

On a side-note, I was reading an article in my college alumni magazine about their first medical school class to graduate since financial reform and it got me excited about medicine. Finally, a system where the doctor-patient relationship is not one that just amounts to billable hours.

Here are some excerpts:

"Because tomorrow's doctors will be employed by larger health-care systems they won't have to spend so much of their time on the business of medicine. This should free them more to work on doctoring."

"They'll work in teams, decision-making will be infomed by access to electronic medical records as well as by advances in genetics, pharmacology, and other research fields."

"On the other hand, you'll make less money. And have less autonomy. Electronic medical records will keep track of your patients and will hold doctors more accountable for their mistakes"

"But, you and your patients will have more time together, which is a privilige. You will be the recipients of all your patient's emotions."

And my favorite quote directed at the new medical school graduates, "you will be the newest, greenest, lowliest, most poorly paid, and frankly the most ignorant doctor in the place. You'll be freshmen again."

i think you and i have different interpretations of the word "support"...my primary goal is to get my parents out of a small messed up apartment and into a nice, decent place. im not expecting a 5 bedroom, 2 garage, $400K house right off the bat.. i know that will take time. i just dont want them struggling to pay bills for a place thats not even worth it

 

[mitchlucker]

OP, where do you live that a 5 bedroom, 2 garage house is only $400k? You'd be lucky to get a 2 bedroom condo in my area for that. Even with the real estate crash, short of living in Fargo, ND, I think that you are grossly underestimating the price of a 5 bdrm place.

In the country? The house my parents recently bought was 460k, 5 bedroom 2 garage

The house I used to live in was 4 bedroom, 2 car garage, 2 fireplaces and 2 patios and my parents sold it for 189k

And this is in PA and NY respectively, the houses I'm describing...

It can be done easily, you probably just live in an area that has a really high pop density thus driving up all the prices and don't know enough people that don't so the only thing you do know is the cost of housing

I couldn't even imagine the house you could build with 400k in wyoming or utah if you didn't mind living 20 minutes from civilization...

 

[catalase]

Don't do it.

Memorize a stock answer, but don't ever say "show me the money!"

And if you are really interested in money, you are in the wrong field. You won't make any real money for 10+ years, and will have accumulated a couple hundred thousand dollars in debt.

I agree with not mentioning it, but the fact that you can't be truthful about your intentions says a lot about political correctness in our age.

 

[45408]

OP, where do you live that a 5 bedroom, 2 garage house is only $400k? You'd be lucky to get a 2 bedroom condo in my area for that. Even with the real estate crash, short of living in Fargo, ND, I think that you are grossly underestimating the price of a 5 bdrm place.

You just have a California bias. You're overestimating the price of a 5 bedroom house for about 95% of the country. My in-laws have a 4BR 2BA house for around $300K. My parents have a 5BR 3BA house for $250K.

 

[Arsenophilia]

agreed on the california bias. where i'm from a million will buy you a shack next to railroad tracks. although it depends where you're looking in california. the further from the coast the more likely a 4B house will cost 400K in this market.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

I am from LA and currently live in OC, and there are plenty of nice places to get 3 bedroom houses for under $500k. Your property won't be 50,000 sq ft, but it can be a nice family residential area.

For the op: saying that you like the job/financial security for the job isn't a bad thing, IMO. What's so wrong about looking out for yourself and your family or for wanting a better life for you and your family?

 

[dextor2003]

i agree with you, drugs. but it seems like mentioning it may hurt me more than help. so id rather not risk it. its definitely sad though that i cant mention a part of my life that im passionate about because it may give the interviewer the wrong impression..sucks..

 

[chuckhusky]

instead of stating higher income as your reason to go into medicine, you could say that growing up with very modest means, you understand life's struggle, and have seen and experienced poverty first hand. and being a doctor/ health care professionals are able to provide medical/emotional care for people who fell thru the cracks...
I assume you have done something with under previlaged folks, medicine is also about giving back to your own people, you understand their feelings.

 

[flip26]

I agree with not mentioning it, but the fact that you can't be truthful about your intentions says a lot about political correctness in our age.

I have to disagree slightly.

Money is not a very good motivation for going through 10+ years of medical training, running up a ton of debt. This isn't about being PC; it is about being completely aware of the huge sacrifice of time and earning potential one makes when entering med school. The delayed gratification is more severe than in any other profession, and med schools want to know that applicants are getting into this circus for the right reasons.

There are far easier and shorter paths to money than med school, and much more money than one will ever make as a physician.

 

[mspeedwagon]

I should re-phrase what I meant. I meant that kind of 5 bdrm, 2 bath place to show that you have "made it" is probably not 400k. I realize there are some places you can get such a house, but the countryside in Utah just doesn't scream I've made it big.

I had something more like this in mind: http://www.estately.com/listings/info/2396725#listings/info/2396725

You just have a California bias. You're overestimating the price of a 5 bedroom house for about 95% of the country. My in-laws have a 4BR 2BA house for around $300K. My parents have a 5BR 3BA house for $250K.

 

[Kaustikos]

I have to disagree slightly.

Money is not a very good motivation for going through 10+ years of medical training, running up a ton of debt. This isn't about being PC; it is about being completely aware of the huge sacrifice of time and earning potential one makes when entering med school. The delayed gratification is more severe than in any other profession, and med schools want to know that applicants are getting into this circus for the right reasons.

There are far easier and shorter paths to money than med school, and much more money than one will ever make as a physician.

So, Flip, why do you want to be a doctor?

 

[armybound]

can mention job security.. financial security etc respect. it is important how you say it and don't just say "money"

Agreed. A better life for your children. Financial security. Things you didn't have when growing up.

 

[dextor2003]

Agreed. A better life for your children. Financial security. Things you didn't have when growing up.

exactly. but again, i dont want interviewers to get the wrong impression...i think ill ask this same question to my premed advisors once school starts...see what they have to say

 

[Baron Samedi]

I think it might be refreshing to hear something other than "I wanna help folks" that interviewers get every day. However, if you can't word it eloquently then don't do it.

Saying something like, "I like the challenging aspects of medicine, the opportunity to care for others, and the ability to financially support my family and fuel my other interests" would net you a better response than "Making 6-figs would be SICK!"

 

[flip26]

So, Flip, why do you want to be a doctor?

Neither my underlying motivation or my answer to that question ever involved money / financial aspirations.

As for essays and interviews, there are "right" reasons, and there are "wrong" reasons. No matter how you sugar coat it, any answer involving money, prestige, a better life for my family, first in my family, etc., are poor reasons for attending medical school.

If you don't truly believe in the right reasons, and really are motivated by the $$$, I suggest you have a far greater problem than trying to figure out how to fool an interviewer.

 

[Baron Samedi]

As for essays and interviews, there are "right" reasons, and there are "wrong" reasons. No matter how you sugar coat it, any answer involving money, prestige, a better life for my family, first in my family, etc., are poor reasons for attending medical school.

This is just plain wrong. Sooooo wrong.

There are a LOT of reasons to go into medicine. You could just as easily argue that going in simply to "help folks" is a bad reason too. There are a LOT better ways to help people than being a doctor. Sure, helping people is a part of the equation but it should be a compilation of factors rather than one thing.

If you're solely motivated by helping people, or solely motivated by money, or solely motivated by how cool the human body is...you're going to be sincerely disappointed down the road. There is nothing wrong with finances being an important reason. To suggest otherwise implies that doctors should be perfectly fine with lower salaries...which believe me, THEY AREN'T. As much as you want to deny it, money is important. It is the currency of freedom and to downplay the importance of it is naive. Money shouldn't be your sole incentive for going into this career field, but it's a pretty darn important part of it!

 

[flip26]

This is just plain wrong. Sooooo wrong.

There are a LOT of reasons to go into medicine. You could just as easily argue that going in simply to "help folks" is a bad reason too. There are a LOT better ways to help people than being a doctor. Sure, helping people is a part of the equation but it should be a compilation of factors rather than one thing.

If you're solely motivated by helping people, or solely motivated by money, or solely motivated by how cool the human body is...you're going to be sincerely disappointed down the road. There is nothing wrong with finances being an important reason. To suggest otherwise implies that doctors should be perfectly fine with lower salaries...which believe me, THEY AREN'T. As much as you want to deny it, money is important. It is the currency of freedom and to downplay the importance of it is naive. Money shouldn't be your sole incentive for going into this career field, but it's a pretty darn important part of it!

I never said finances aren't an important consideration, especially in the current political environment with declining compensation. Furthermore, most most premeds have no idea how these $300k debt loads are going to sink their financial future. The financial naivete of premeds and med students is hilarious.

The pursuit of money is a poor reason to attend medical school, and if money is truly what motivates you, you are entering the wrong profession at the wrong time in history.

 

[armybound]

Face it, one works to make money. Enjoyment, helping others, etc are all perks. If money wasn't a necessity you'd just volunteer.

 

[flip26]

Face it, one works to make money. Enjoyment, helping others, etc are all perks. If money wasn't a necessity you'd just volunteer.

You have it backwards. Money is the perk. Same with prestige. The other stuff is the proper motivation.

And not everyone entering med school will share equally in the "perks." Some of your classmates will graduate without a penny of debt. Some will graduate $300k in debt. Not everyone will have the same starting line. Some doctors will make far more money than others, and will enjoy far more prestige. And not just "wanting it" will make it happen - getting into the higher paying and more prestigious specialties is competitive, and not simply a choice.

 

[catalase]

I have to disagree slightly.

Money is not a very good motivation for going through 10+ years of medical training, running up a ton of debt. This isn't about being PC; it is about being completely aware of the huge sacrifice of time and earning potential one makes when entering med school. The delayed gratification is more severe than in any other profession, and med schools want to know that applicants are getting into this circus for the right reasons.

There are far easier and shorter paths to money than med school, and much more money than one will ever make as a physician.

Decisions aren't made in a vacuum, nor should they be made using one criterion. If someone likes science, working with people, and the idea of a comfortable living, then medicine is probably a great fit. Money shouldn't be the sole motivating factor in deciding to become a physician, but it can be one of several. I was only lamenting the fact that it would be interview suicide to even mention money in an interview as a factor in one's decision.

And let's not kid ourselves. There is a lot of money in medicine. There's also guaranteed job security. I'm not sure why everyone seems to downplay the economics of a career in medicine. Are there quicker ways to earn a buck? Sure, if your name is Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. Other professional trades don't really provide quicker routes to riches. Accountants often spend years working their way up the financial ladder. Law is certainly no bed of roses, even if you're lucky enough to find work in this lawyer-saturated market. Dentistry is an exception I suppose, but most dentists top out at levels lower than MD's who specialize.

 

[Kaustikos]

Decisions aren't made in a vacuum, nor should they be made using one criterion. If someone likes science, working with people, and the idea of a comfortable living, then medicine is probably a great fit. Money shouldn't be the sole motivating factor in deciding to become a physician, but it can be one of several. I was only lamenting the fact that it would be interview suicide to even mention money in an interview as a factor in one's decision.

And let's not kid ourselves. There is a lot of money in medicine. There's also guaranteed job security. I'm not sure why everyone seems to downplay the economics of a career in medicine. Are there quicker ways to earn a buck? Sure, if your name is Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. Other professional trades don't really provide quicker routes to riches. Accountants often spend years working their way up the financial ladder. Law is certainly no bed of roses, even if you're lucky enough to find work in this lawyer-saturated market. Dentistry is an exception I suppose, but most dentists top out at levels lower than MD's who specialize.

There are numerous fields that offer a comfortable living. I dont' understand where you get the idea that none of these professions offer the ability to have a comfortable earning, unless you think making 70-90k isn't okay. If I had to pursue a career for money, I'd have stuck it out in pharmaceuticals and said screw medicine. But it didn't matter what salary they offered me there, I was miserable working there and knew I wouldn't be remotely happy there. On the opposite side, I was happier working as a pharmacy technician despite my **** salary. The only reason I didn't stay as a technician is because I ultimately want to have the responsibilities and challenges that a physician has.

There are sooo many careers that would offer a salary to help a family have a decent living. Hell, the "average" family has 3 kids, nets 40k in income and has a $200k mortgage (based on a probably bogus news article recently released by some liberal bull****) and 5k in credit card debt. I'm sure there are careers that offer twice that which isn't medicine.

/rant

 

[seelee]

It has been hashed out but might I refer you to a post on the topic from a blog authored by a gifted writer 😉

http://turnyourheadandcoughmd.blogspot.com/2010/07/altruism.html

Bottom line, I think that a financial motivation to pursue a career is perfectly acceptable. Yes, I know that medicine shouldn't be your sole motivation for medicine, but it shouldn't be your sole motivation for anything. A million dollar salary won't make you love a ****ty job. At best, you will just grit your teeth and bare it.

OP, don't let these sanctimonious harpies make you think you that money is a bad thing. It isn't. That being said, you will not get into medical school if you say that in your interview or personal statement. Give them every single reason you have for being a doctor except that.

Good luck.

 

[flip26]

There are numerous fields that offer a comfortable living. I dont' understand where you get the idea that none of these professions offer the ability to have a comfortable earning, unless you think making 70-90k isn't okay. If I had to pursue a career for money, I'd have stuck it out in pharmaceuticals and said screw medicine. But it didn't matter what salary they offered me there, I was miserable working there and knew I wouldn't be remotely happy there. On the opposite side, I was happier working as a pharmacy technician despite my **** salary. The only reason I didn't stay as a technician is because I ultimately want to have the responsibilities and challenges that a physician has.

There are sooo many careers that would offer a salary to help a family have a decent living. Hell, the "average" family has 3 kids, nets 40k in income and has a $200k mortgage (based on a probably bogus news article recently released by some liberal bull****) and 5k in credit card debt. I'm sure there are careers that offer twice that which isn't medicine.

/rant

👍

Spoken with the wisdom of someone who has actually been "out there" and worked at a job, etc.

Med school requires anywhere from 8 to 13 years of school and training, and the taking on of huge amounts of debt for the privilege and future income stream. Compare this to even a dentist who goes to professional school for 4 years and then is out there making money.

Money is the wrong motivation for medicine. You also need to realize that many of your future med classmates come from wealthy families that are paying their tuition and all other expenses, too, and they will graduate with no debt. If in order to attend med school you have to take on $300k in debt, and you come from a modest or underprivileged background, you will have a very deep hole to climb out of, and if your motivation for jumping into that deep hole was "money," you are going to be one miserable SOB for a long time...

 

[armybound]

That being said, you will not get into medical school if you say that in your interview or personal statement. Give them every single reason you have for being a doctor except that.

I think it can be brought up in a way that is advantageous. If you use it as a bridge to discuss an underprivileged background or serious struggles in your life, I think it can be a good thing.

It's definitely not the first thing I'd bring up, though.

great blog post, btw

 

[catalase]

There are numerous fields that offer a comfortable living. I dont' understand where you get the idea that none of these professions offer the ability to have a comfortable earning, unless you think making 70-90k isn't okay. If I had to pursue a career for money, I'd have stuck it out in pharmaceuticals and said screw medicine. But it didn't matter what salary they offered me there, I was miserable working there and knew I wouldn't be remotely happy there. On the opposite side, I was happier working as a pharmacy technician despite my **** salary. The only reason I didn't stay as a technician is because I ultimately want to have the responsibilities and challenges that a physician has.

There are sooo many careers that would offer a salary to help a family have a decent living. Hell, the "average" family has 3 kids, nets 40k in income and has a $200k mortgage (based on a probably bogus news article recently released by some liberal bull****) and 5k in credit card debt. I'm sure there are careers that offer twice that which isn't medicine.

/rant

Where did I state what's bolded above? I did say that "these professions" don't really offer a comparatively quicker way to reach earning potential, but nowhere did I say that the careers in question offer no chance to make substantial wages. That would be patently false.

Note also that my previous post also considered the added value of the virtually guaranteed employment that comes with a career in medicine. This added value also applies to careers such as pharmacy, RN, PA, etc. There's more to consider than money when choosing a profession, but again I will say that it's sad that you can't even mention money and job security in an interview.

 

[armybound]

👍

Spoken with the wisdom of someone who has actually been "out there" and worked at a job, etc.

Med school requires anywhere from 8 to 13 years of school and training, and the taking on of huge amounts of debt for the privilege and future income stream. Compare this to even a dentist who goes to professional school for 4 years and then is out there making money.

Money is the wrong motivation for medicine. You also need to realize that many of your future med classmates come from wealthy families that are paying their tuition and all other expenses, too, and they will graduate with no debt. If in order to attend med school you have to take on $300k in debt, and you come from a modest or underprivileged background, you will have a very deep hole to climb out of, and if your motivation for jumping into that deep hole was "money," you are going to be one miserable SOB for a long time...

None of that has anything to do with medicine being a financially rewarding career. when people choose a career, the initial and strongest motivator is probably their interests. we want to go into medicine because we like the field. we like healthcare. we like helping people. If you don't have those motivators, you're in the wrong career field.

But there's a universal truth out there that is that we have jobs because we need money. If I didn't need money, I probably wouldn't work... especially not 40-80 hours per week. I'd sit on my butt all day long.

You need money. So there's a consideration you think about in addition to what field you want to go into, and that's both what you're capable of achieving, what amount of training you're willing to endure, and what the compensation is. If you had the choice, would you be an anesthesiologist or a CRNA? There are factors beyond "helping people" and "I like to put people to sleep during surgery." Why become a nurse instead of a CNA? Why an internal medicine physician instead of a floor nurse?

There are rewards for going through more training to be physicians. Part of that is financial. I probably wouldn't put myself through all of this crap if it wouldn't work out financially. That's not to say that my primary motivator is financial, but it's a consideration. You'd be stupid to ignore compensation after all of the investment you have to put into the career.

You can care about the financial aspects of a career decision without it being your primary motivator. Yes, having money as your primary motivator is wrong for becoming a physician. But having it somewhere on the list is not bad at all.

 

[catalase]

👍

Spoken with the wisdom of someone who has actually been "out there" and worked at a job, etc.

Med school requires anywhere from 8 to 13 years of school and training, and the taking on of huge amounts of debt for the privilege and future income stream. Compare this to even a dentist who goes to professional school for 4 years and then is out there making money.

Money is the wrong motivation for medicine. You also need to realize that many of your future med classmates come from wealthy families that are paying their tuition and all other expenses, too, and they will graduate with no debt. If in order to attend med school you have to take on $300k in debt, and you come from a modest or underprivileged background, you will have a very deep hole to climb out of, and if your motivation for jumping into that deep hole was "money," you are going to be one miserable SOB for a long time...

You're misrepresenting things via omission in your comparison. Dental students, like med students, need an undergrad degree and the debt that comes with it. Dental students don't go to school just on their good looks, so add on that debt as well. I understand that dentists don't have a residency, but it's not as if med students always graduate 300k deep and dental students graduate without a dent.

Piles of debt aren't exclusive to medicine. Get over it.

 

[seelee]

I think it can be brought up in a way that is advantageous. If you use it as a bridge to discuss an underprivileged background or serious struggles in your life, I think it can be a good thing.

It's definitely not the first thing I'd bring up, though.

great blog post, btw

I appreciate it. By the way, your avatar is gold.

Isn't it odd that the people who agree that the financial reason for pursuing medicine are almost exclusively people who have been to medical school. I am not trying to make an ad hominem argument, just an observation.

 

[Dr McSexy]

Eh, the school I'm matriculating to had a questionnaire that we filled out as part of the secondary. It asked us to rank (of a set of options) the top 4 reasons we were pursuing a career in medicine. I ranked income security as my 4th reason. It was never brought up in the interview and I was accepted early on.

I wouldn't suggest purposely bringing it up. But if you are asked, I don't see why you should be dishonest about it.

My family of 5 grew up on a less than 35k combined income. I don't see a problem in me saying that I would like a little bit of more income security than my parents had IN ADDITION to the other reasons that make me want to be a doctor.

It's not all about the money. Sure, I could find a job with less hours, less schooling, and more money, but what's wrong with finding a balance with what you want to do in life, how you want to live, and what you're interests are?

 

[flip26]

You're misrepresenting things via omission in your comparison. Dental students, like med students, need an undergrad degree and the debt that comes with it. Dental students don't go to school just on their good looks, so add on that debt as well. I understand that dentists don't have a residency, but it's not as if med students always graduate 300k deep and dental students graduate without a dent.

Piles of debt aren't exclusive to medicine. Get over it.

You really don't get it.

Debt interest compounds; the longer until you pay it back, the more that piles up. I would rather start paying off $300k in dental school debt after 4 years than $300k debt of med school debt compounded to over $400k after 10+ years...

You disingenuously compared what a general dentist might make to what a medical specialist makes, and that isn't a fair comparison at all given the extra residency requirements doctors face. A general dentist makes, on average, far more than docs with the shortest and least competitivde residencies (say FM or Peds).

Furthermore, the dental student doesn't have to jump another hurdle after dental school as do med students who have to go through another nut cuttin' round of residency roulette...if money was your motivation going into med school, and you are only competitive for FM or peds, sitting on accumulated debt of $400k, guess what? You are going to be digging out of that "money pit" for the next 20 years...

 

[dextor2003]

i guess i should mention that ive been getting full aid (in grants) for my undergrad education. so no undergrad dept for me. and if i dont get grants for med school, im obviously not gonna go to a school thats like 40/50k/yr. ill probably pick one of the cheaper schools...so i dont think ill be in 400k debt by the time i start making money as a doc..

 

[flip26]

i guess i should mention that ive been getting full aid (in grants) for my undergrad education. so no undergrad dept for me. and if i dont get grants for med school, im obviously not gonna go to a school thats like 40/50k/yr. ill probably pick one of the cheaper schools...so i dont think ill be in 400k debt by the time i start making money as a doc..

The only 'cheap' schools are in Texas. Otherwise they are all expensive.

And BTW - you don't pick them - they pick you.

Good luck.

 

[cpufreak3]

Honestly, money is important.

The amount of time doctors sacrifice for education should be compensated, and it is.

If doctors made $30,000/year, quite a few would drop out or not pursue it.

EVERYONE takes money into account. Whoever says they don't is full of it.

Many of the doctors I know did it for the money. They had zero guidance and people just told them be a doctor or an engineer. They just nodded and did as told. The passion came during med school/rotations.

In the end, I agree that you shouldn't mention monetary reasons for admissions purposes.

 

[dextor2003]

The only 'cheap' schools are in Texas. Otherwise they are all expensive.

And BTW - you don't pick them - they pick you.

Good luck.

You know what I meant...

And I know they're all relatively expensive. I know that I probably won't get a full ride through med school like I am through undergrad. I know that ill have to take out loans. And I'm not against that. All I'm saying is that I'm probably going to look for some cheaper options before I seriously consider schools that cost 40/50k

but like u said, first I have to get into med school...so I'm going to worry more about this later

 

[flip26]

Honestly, money is important.

The amount of time doctors sacrifice for education should be compensated, and it is.

If doctors made $30,000/year, quite a few would drop out or not pursue it.

EVERYONE takes money into account. Whoever says they don't is full of it.

Many of the doctors I know did it for the money. They had zero guidance and people just told them be a doctor or an engineer. They just nodded and did as told. The passion came during med school/rotations.

In the end, I agree that you shouldn't mention monetary reasons for admissions purposes.

What happens if the "passion" never comes?

Med schools want to see that you have "the right stuff" for med school and that you aren't applying for the wrong reasons. These doctors you know must be older, because it would be pretty hard to make it past the motivation screen that med schools have today...

A few decades ago, there was no unwritten volunteer EC hurdle, either, or shadowing reqs. I know a dermatologist in her mid 40s who never did any volunteering or shadowing prior to applying to med school some 25 years ago - it wasn't an issue.

 

[flip26]

You know what I meant...

And I know they're all relatively expensive. I know that I probably won't get a full ride through med school like I am through undergrad. I know that ill have to take out loans. And I'm not against that. All I'm saying is that I'm probably going to look for some cheaper options before I seriously consider schools that cost 40/50k

but like u said, first I have to get into med school...so I'm going to worry more about this later

You need to get familiar with the total cost of attendance (COA). You seem to be talking about "schools that cost 40/50k" as if tuition is the only expense. Many schools have a COA in the $60k+ range including books, food, housing, other mandatory fees, health insurance, etc. in addition to tuition. Except for exceptionally cheap state schools, I don't know of many schools with a COA of $40k. Accumulating med school debt of $250k+ is not that hard to do.

 

[gravitywave]

for the most part i find myself agreeing more with the points that flip's been making, but to be honest you guys are no longer arguing the original point.

Bottom line, I think that a financial motivation to pursue a career is perfectly acceptable. Yes, I know that medicine shouldn't be your sole motivation for medicine, but it shouldn't be your sole motivation for anything. A million dollar salary won't make you love a ****ty job. At best, you will just grit your teeth and bare it.

OP, don't let these sanctimonious harpies make you think you that money is a bad thing. It isn't. That being said, you will not get into medical school if you say that in your interview or personal statement. Give them every single reason you have for being a doctor except that.

Good luck.

This. It's perfectly all right to consider income security as part of your reason to attend medical school. But I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole in the admissions game: not in an essay, not on a secondary, and for sure not in an interview. Reimbursement is the third rail in medicine right now and it would just be too easy to come off sounding the wrong way. no matter how eloquent you get. if your motivations for pursuing this career are as good as they ought to be, then you'll have plenty of other things to talk about.

 

[298609]

You have it backwards. Money is the perk. Same with prestige. The other stuff is the proper motivation.

when people have the proper motivation, they will flock towards their desire and passion. that would be the "ideal person law".

just as all gases don't behave ideally, all people (more like most) do not follow their dreams without considering money nor do they not think of money when they dream up their dreams.

as one said before you, most people work to make money. most doctors work to make money. they may have more passion than everyone on SDN combined, but they WORK to make MONEY. money is necessary to survive. sociologists and psychologists have looked at this money vs. passion stuff many times throughout the years. a scenario is often presented: if a person who claimed to be motivated strictly by the passion of the job won the lotto/jackpot tomorrow, they would continue to come to work for the next 2 wks to a month. after that, they would go on a "volunteer" basis where they'd come in whenever they liked without getting paid (as they had NO NEED for the money). eventually, after going on cruises and spur of the moment vacations (and not going into "work" because they didn't have to) they would stop coming in to the work that they once held such a passion for.

You need to get familiar with the total cost of attendance (COA). You seem to be talking about "schools that cost 40/50k" as if tuition is the only expense. Many schools have a COA in the $60k+ range including books, food, housing, other mandatory fees, health insurance, etc. in addition to tuition. Except for exceptionally cheap state schools, I don't know of many schools with a COA of $40k. Accumulating med school debt of $250k+ is not that hard to do.

agreed. i know a couple that after residency will have combined debt of 750k.

 

[apumic]

when i get asked about why i want to be a doctor, should i bring up money as one of my reasons ?

my family comes from a really disadvantaged financial background. and honestly, i wouldnt want my own family to live the same meager life i endured...would this be ok to mention in an interview ? i feel like the interviewer will think that im just trying to play with his emotions to get him to feel sorry for me or whatever, which im not trying to do at all...im just being completely honest

and money's still definitely one of the smaller reasons...i really just want to be able to make enough to live in a decent house where i can keep my family happy..otherwise i would go for something other than being a pediatrician

Keep in mind you WILL be living a very meager lifestyle for a number of years if you go into medicine. Telling a physician you want to avoid the very thing you'll be doing for the next 8+ years (i.e., living at a fairly low and always in date standard of living) isn't going to bode well for you. Keep this in mind for your own decision-making as well. In my own experience and thought of other doctors' kids (and their parents), money in medicine doesn't really accumulate until (at least some of) your kids are in at least HS, if not college. Their early years will likely be spent moving a lot (due to residency, fellowship, market, etc.) and living fairly frugally. Assuming you go w/ a standard 10-year plan you won't hit the black for a good 15-20 years from now (likely making your kids 10-20 yrs old by the time you get out of debt if you get married before graduating med school).

 

[dextor2003]

You need to get familiar with the total cost of attendance (COA). You seem to be talking about "schools that cost 40/50k" as if tuition is the only expense. Many schools have a COA in the $60k+ range including books, food, housing, other mandatory fees, health insurance, etc. in addition to tuition. Except for exceptionally cheap state schools, I don't know of many schools with a COA of $40k. Accumulating med school debt of $250k+ is not that hard to do.

Touché. I didn't think of that..well hopefully I won't get into around $400k worth of debt...but yes, we digress. All in all, don't mention money/job security in an interview. Got it.

 

[gravitywave]

Keep in mind you WILL be living a very meager lifestyle for a number of years if you go into medicine. Telling a physician you want to avoid the very thing you'll be doing for the next 8+ years (i.e., living at a fairly low and always in date standard of living) isn't going to bode well for you.

another excellent point.

as one said before you, most people work to make money. most doctors work to make money. they may have more passion than everyone on SDN combined, but they WORK to make MONEY. money is necessary to survive. sociologists and psychologists have looked at this money vs. passion stuff many times throughout the years. a scenario is often presented: if a person who claimed to be motivated strictly by the passion of the job won the lotto/jackpot tomorrow, they would continue to come to work for the next 2 wks to a month. after that, they would go on a "volunteer" basis where they'd come in whenever they liked without getting paid (as they had NO NEED for the money). eventually, after going on cruises and spur of the moment vacations (and not going into "work" because they didn't have to) they would stop coming in to the work that they once held such a passion for.

Are there many good studies done in this area comparing "professionals" (doctors/attorneys/small businesspeople/academics/teachers/engineers/artists) to everyone else?

not trying to argue for/against your point, just curious if there is a quantifiable difference in attitude.