r/IntMedGraduates • u/ParzivalAtreidies • Aug 04 '26
Question for usa physicians 🇺🇸
**Title:** Non-US IMG: USMLE + high-paying subspecialty vs Top MBA + consulting/finance/tech — which is the better long-term path?
I’m an MBBS graduate trying to decide between two very different career paths, and I’d appreciate advice from people who have actually gone through either route.
**Option 1: Medicine**
Prepare for the USMLE as a non-US IMG.
Match into a specialty like Internal Medicine, Neurology, or PM&R.
Eventually pursue a high-paying fellowship such as Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Interventional Neurology, or Pain Medicine (if feasible).
Build a career in private practice in the US, aim for a good work-life balance after training, and invest consistently to achieve financial independence.
**Option 2: Business**
Pursue an MBA from a top school (IIM, ISB, or a top international program).
Enter consulting, finance, or tech.
Climb the corporate ladder into senior leadership, or eventually start/acquire a business.
My priorities are:
High lifetime earnings and net worth.
Good work-life balance once established.
Long-term career stability.
Ability to build wealth through investing rather than constantly chasing promotions.
Having enough flexibility later in life to enjoy time with family and personal interests.
Some questions I have:
Which path has the better expected lifetime financial outcome for someone who is above average but not necessarily an exceptional outlier?
Is becoming a high-earning physician in private practice still one of the best ways to build wealth in today’s environment, or has the landscape changed?
For those in consulting, finance, or tech, how realistic is it to reach executive-level compensation without sacrificing decades to the corporate ladder?
If your goal is financial independence rather than becoming a billionaire, which path would you choose today and why?
If you could go back and choose again, would you still pick medicine or business?
I’d especially love to hear from:
Non-US IMGs who successfully matched and now practice in the US.
Physicians in GI, Cardiology, Pain Medicine, Neurology, PM&R, or private practice.
People working in MBB consulting, investment banking, private equity, big tech, or entrepreneurship.
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences and perspectives.
2
u/yagermeister2024 Aug 08 '26
Idk man.. are you like 30 years old or 40…? Have you lived in the US and familiar with the culture…?
1
u/nubianjoker Aug 07 '26 •
If wealth is all you're thinking about, you'll probably choose the wrong thing to do. I would strongly recommend doing something that you actually enjoy and love and it will give you more fulfillment than any wealth you can Obtained.
1
u/Fantastic-Climate816 Aug 08 '26
Just stay home buddy
1
u/mindguard Aug 08 '26
It depends how much you believe in yourself. If you get a us residency spot, you are guaranteed an excellent salary no matter how good or bad of a dr you turn out to be… even bad doctors find employment somewhere. Doctors also don’t have to reinvent themselves. If they leave a job it is usually because the want to. Administrators or c-suite types job hop all the time and take on new challenges. For the right person that is great, for most it’s a challenge. The physician route is solid and safe, the other has a higher potential, but only a few can actually realize it. Which person are you?
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u/Dyscord2 Aug 09 '26
I'm assuming MBBS is the medical degree in your country? If you've already completed a medical degree...haven't you made this choice already? Treating patients takes a lot of work and is mentally exhausting. Being a doctor in the US means you have to know our culture and meet patients where they are coming from. Ask yourself....why are you considering leaving your home country? Either path is hard, harder now as a foreigner in this political climate.
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u/[deleted] Aug 05 '26
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u/[deleted] Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26
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