Switching to Finance

Hey all, this would be my first post on this forum.

I'm a Pre-Med student at Rutgers NJ, and I've come to the realization that maybe my main motivation for a career in medicine has been mostly for the money and the prestige of it (despite trying to convince myself that I truly desire to help people and save the world). Upon reading the countless horror stories of med students and doctors ending up miserable and depressed, I fear that I may end up as one of them due to me entering for the reasons mentioned above, and not for an innate drive to help other.

In terms of interest, I don't really think I've really felt a "calling" for anything. My greatest motivation is to be quite successful and make great money, something that would be most satisfied by going into Finance/Investment Banking. Some of my advisers have told me that this is the prime motivation behind most Business majors. While I prefer science, I do enjoy learning in general, no matter the field. My knowledge of Finance or Business in general is also pretty minimal at this point. My experiences as an immigrant from Eastern Europe did lead me to dream of running my own international company, but I don't think I've had enough life experience to be an entrepreneur, perhaps maybe after a stint at Wall Street.

Investment Banking life seems ideal, being able to work out of school in my earlier 20's, living in NYC, and making great money (besides the first two years of hellish 100 hour work weeks that I've heard about). Being an IB at a good firm seems to open a world of opportunity, whereas in Medicine I'd be stuck practicing forever and essentially doing the same job for my whole life. I feel that a career in Finance also generally requires less commitment, whereas Medicine requires a marriage to it, as the hours are insane and I fear of all the relationships and fun I'd have missed out on while on the grueling path (which wouldn't end until about my mid 30s) to become a physician.

What's a good determinant of success in Investment Banking? Do you really have to have a passion for that type of work? Or can the lack of passion for be overridden by a burning ambition to be very successful and make millions? Coming from a state school, I don't know how great my chances are of breaking into a top notch firm, although I've been told getting into a top 10 MBA program should allow me to gain entry. If I'm confident in anything, it's my ambition to succeed and overcome anything.

Thank you.

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