Dilemma: Finance or Medicine, share your thoughts

I'm currently in my first year of medical school in the Netherlands. However, I don't really like medicine. Although it's interesting, that's about it. I don't see myself working in a hospital; instead, I plan to pivot toward consulting after I complete my Master's degree, and later pursue opportunities in biotech, med, or pharma companies.

Medicine is not that difficult. I’ve passed all my tests on the first try with high grades and plenty of free time, so I'm confident that I can finish the program if I choose to do so.

In my free time I'm much more interested in Finance/Stocks/Companies than medicine. And I'm thinking about studying Business Administration (Bedrijfskunde) at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). 

But the point of contesion that keeps me in the clutches of this dilemma are the salary expectations. The salary for doctors is great at first glance, but the years (and cost) of training really change my perspective. 

If I were to become a neurosurgeon (I have a better shot at winning the lottery), I would need to train for six more years—and that’s if I get directly chosen, which is almost never the case. Most candidates need to do a PhD and then get lucky, so let’s say that adds another three years. Even after all that, my starting salary would be around €70,000, rising to €120,000 per year after 10 years of experience, and as an independent, it could be as high as €248,000 (before deducting all costs, of course). In this best-case scenario, I would be 31, earning €70,000 per year.

In finance, the salary range is much broader. According to RSM, the starting salary in the Netherlands is €54,766 within six months of graduation, admittedly lower than that in medicine, but I begin working at 25 instead of 31. However, this scenario only applies if I pursue a Master's in Finance & Investments at RSM and do not move to London or the US, where my chances of earning more than a doctor would likely be higher.

I don't doubt my academic abilities, and I will do my best to graduate cum laude at RSM. Nonetheless, the competition will be fierce, and breaking into the London scene will undoubtedly be challenging.

Considering the expected compensation, years invested, competition, and job stability, which would be the better choice: finance or medicine?

Which is the better choice, finance or medicine

Finance
50% (4 votes)
Medicine
50% (4 votes)
Total votes: 8
1 Comments
 

Quidem itaque quas mollitia est ex et. Suscipit omnis doloremque qui qui qui consequatur amet.

Cupiditate quia sed optio voluptatem. Porro aut ut id assumenda et molestiae. Doloremque recusandae aut vel voluptatem. Est officia id provident expedita necessitatibus sunt et. Impedit earum eum est magnam aut doloribus.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.3%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”