<p>Hey! I know for a fact I want to head into medicine because it makes sense to me and I want to later apply in volunteering in third world countries. So for those in pre-med programs or know anything about medicine in college can tell me what I headed for. and how much money will I owe (roughly) at the end of my education. THANX</p>
<p>Great to hear this kind of enthusiasm. You might be interested in checking out public health. Nearly all medical schools offer MD/MPH programs which would cater to public health programs like doctors without borders.</p>
<p>As far as the cost of a medical education goes...you probably don't want to know. I believe the average physician graduates 200,000 in the hole but there are ways to mitigate this student loan debt. One possibility, if you are interested in a career in research is an MD/PhD. The tuition is free and you are paid the same crappy stipend that grad students in the science get (on the order of 25-30K per year). MD/PhD is rigorous but it gives you a lot of advantages later in your career and opens up clinical research as a realistic possibility. Also, there are loan repayment programs for physicians and surgeons willing to work in "underserved" areas. These tend to take the form of exorbitant salaries with a specific time commitment (say 300K a year, right out of residency) for at least three years. Finally, the NIH has loan repayment programs for MDs that do research.</p>