It's been awhile since I've seen numbers. But I think but actual doctor compensation especially minus student loan principal and interest isn't that big a piece of the pie. Sr Doctors often make what seems like an assload of money, but doctors careers are short and the high earning period is a fraction of that.

Consider, doctors start working at 30, usually retire at 65. That's 25 years. First 10 years is spent paying off student loans and gaining clinical experience. Friend of mine is a Sr software engineer with a masters and 20 years of experience. His slightly younger brother is a newly minted Cardiac Surgeon.