Thanks. So it looks like by the time you finish residency and fellowship (you linked a pain specialist position) with assuming the national average of $200k of debt, the investment banker has already received $2.140 million in direct compensation. Assuming 7% market returns that sum balloons to $4,209,703.90 by the time you've paid off your med school debt and started saving for yourself. Now in that time they've also been promoted and now you're earning (per your source) between $300k and $750k, while the IB is earning between $300k and $500k. After tax, that difference is between $0 and $200k per year. Want to guess how long it takes you to break even with them? Remember that since they've already built a $4kk savings, that is earning them an additional $300k per year in interest. Your after-tax take home is going to be roughly half of your income, so you're talking about a max of $350k to live off and contribute for your own retirement. Remember my question about breaking even? It's a trick question, because you won't before you die.

That said taking care of patients is it's own reward, etc. etc. etc.