Author: roundrobin
Subject: Timothy Wang - US Nationals
Posted: 01/03/2014 at 9:59pm
You are missing the bigger picture. More than half of all U.S. applicants to medical schools are from immigrant families. What are their alternatives? By far the biggest one is to open their own small business when they grow up (donut shops, small eateries, convenience stores, food court booths, dry cleaners and such), which requires far more than 60+ hours of work a week for both the husband and wife, and an average of $250K in investment capital in the form of personal savings, and loans from relatives. More than half of these small business would fail within the first year.
As to the expense of attending medical schools, none of the doctors and students who are currently in the program see it as an issue. The key is to be accepted by a school first. The single-digit acceptance rates at most medical schools tell you it's still a profession pretty much in highest demand.
Subject: Timothy Wang - US Nationals
Posted: 01/03/2014 at 9:59pm
 hookumsnivy wrote:I would guess on average, doctors put in 60+ hours a week which could be 50% more than the average occupation. They also don't get the same holidays because they need to be open or on call. When you consider the cost of becoming a doctor, it's really not worth it. It will cost a minimum of $280k (public university) and as much as $450k for the education - most of which will probably in the form of student loans that will make it even more expensive. |
You are missing the bigger picture. More than half of all U.S. applicants to medical schools are from immigrant families. What are their alternatives? By far the biggest one is to open their own small business when they grow up (donut shops, small eateries, convenience stores, food court booths, dry cleaners and such), which requires far more than 60+ hours of work a week for both the husband and wife, and an average of $250K in investment capital in the form of personal savings, and loans from relatives. More than half of these small business would fail within the first year.
As to the expense of attending medical schools, none of the doctors and students who are currently in the program see it as an issue. The key is to be accepted by a school first. The single-digit acceptance rates at most medical schools tell you it's still a profession pretty much in highest demand.