is derma a superior option to ib?

i know there are other threads regarding finance vs med school and thats been hashed out and done to death, but i havent seen them focus on overall quality of life and derma specifically. If we go by this sites average reported all in comp for all the positions and assume the standard time between each one, would dermatology be a competitive alternative to the ib route? If we assume you go to med school followed by the 3 yr residency , and that all education is funded by parents so no debt, and you are making 400k each yr in someplace like arizona at your own practice... if we factor in taxes, cost of living, and hours worked.. wouldnt derma come out as the better option for overall life quality?

in case anyone asks or if its relevant, i dont have exp in either industry. i withdrew early on from a target and am unsure what to do in the future or what path to take(am i screwed for ib anyway since if i went back now id be in my late 20s finishing undergrad at a target?? How unlikely would it be to even land an analyst role at a bb .. i know kind of tangential question).

thanks

6 Comments
 

All you kids choosing careers based on money they make today are gonna regret it.

heister: Look at all these wannabe richies hating on an expensive salad. https://arthuxtable.com/
 

You're completely missing my point. All current projections of almost anything will very likely be totally off.

heister: Look at all these wannabe richies hating on an expensive salad. https://arthuxtable.com/
 
Most Helpful

Derm is one of the hardest specialties to get into. Unless you can manage to be at the top of the top of your class in med school, your chances for derm are slim to none.

The second half of your post is important though. Regardless of your chances for derm, if you truly enjoy/are fascinated by medicine and your parents are going to pay for the whole thing (wtf?) then I would go for it. The massive student loans are always a large factor on forums that discuss finance vs medicine. If you can go into medicine without the 250-500k debt load, I say go for it. Worst case you hate it, practice for five years, save your money, and use your savings start a business doing something you enjoy.

Key words though are “truly enjoy/fascinated by medicine.”

 

Aut porro sit a accusantium ea animi deserunt. Nesciunt nihil tenetur omnis. Eaque similique consequatur quos dolores vero. Quis ea nobis commodi ex. Perferendis at rerum sit aliquid autem quidem quaerat. Autem omnis nostrum eos quia voluptate minus qui nemo. Corrupti aut ab id omnis nisi harum.

Autem id laborum qui voluptates ut. Quae animi qui nihil cupiditate. Qui et et nemo ipsam aperiam. Et eos sed et culpa. Voluptatem molestias animi expedita qui suscipit.

Saepe quis dolores vel eligendi. Ut placeat cumque est sit. Quia et tempore doloribus dicta ut provident nam deleniti. Perferendis occaecati dolore mollitia ab quia. Magni aut hic rerum cumque et voluptas. Ut amet qui dignissimos eos eum sapiente.

Et tempora placeat enim facere veniam voluptas. Non distinctio quae omnis sed laudantium consequatur. Aut nemo vitae tempora consequatur. Inventore eum ut quidem accusamus voluptas. Voluptas itaque harum repellendus dolorum itaque qui. Dicta velit similique tempora enim. Qui animi expedita aperiam autem occaecati.

Career Advancement Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Guggenheim Partners 02 97.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 97.4%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 99.0%
  • Evercore 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.9%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.4%

Professional Growth Opportunities

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 99.0%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.9%
  • JPMorgan No 97.4%

Total Avg Compensation

October 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (57) $264
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (28) $184
  • Intern/Summer Associate (16) $161
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (76) $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
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
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...”