Very interesting thread. I'm currently MS4, and will start internship in a few months; yes I am just starting out and lack experience. To answer the original post, I think I would go to medical school again. I went to a state medical school, and was very frugal with my loans (only borrowed what i needed, plus school grant/aid packages, and informal family loans that I intend to pay back to cover up loose ends), so I am sure that my less-than-average debt plays a role in my opinion.
Personally, I came from a single parent home, and my mom worked in a restaurant 6 days a week and I was a latch-key kid who took care of myself. When my mom open her own store, I spent summers working 13 hour days/7 days a week on my feet on the register and cooking. The store was in a bad part of town, so we had to deal with ignorant racist BS, constant vandalism, etc. Police were rarely helpful. I also delivered food too, so that meant driving around in rain, sleet, and snow. (I also tip well because of this experience.)
Residency will suck thats for sure and have longer hours, but a job is a job. Furthermore, residency is training - no one stays a resident forever - and I am confident that being a physician will be far more rewarding than working in a restaurant.
That being said, I have also have friends and family in many walks of life, not just the restaurant life to compare. I realize that I highlight only the bad and realize there are positives in these jobs - but these negatives are enough to make me think twice about them.
academia - A former college roommate, in doctorate program for Mathematics - studies 12 hours a day and working on a thesis. I also know of another person in grad school, where a colleague hi-jacked his idea for a thesis. There is also a lot of political back-stabbing in academia as well.
computer/IT - I personally would never do that job in a million years. But my cousin who has this job is so low key and likes it. However, it took him 3 years to find a job. He went into college in 1999 when high tech was booming and graduated in 2003, when it was next to impossible to find a job. That's not the job security I want.
MBA - I have a cousin with an MBA and working in marketing now. formerly a financial consultant. She worked three years in the finance world, and basically lived out of suitcases and hotel rooms for three years and regularly worked 14 hour days. Did an MBA at a USNews "top 5" program, and built up sizeable debt. Living in NYC and finds current job unfulfilling. I also wouldn't do this job anyway.
entrepreneur - a friend who's a college grad who started his own company in making and designing kitchen cabinets. I haven't seen him in two years because he moved to FL and is basically married to his job and works his ass off. We talk once in a while, and his schedule is basically 14/hr day 7 days a week, because he is just starting out and trying to cut costs. I don't know about the future, but presently he is very stressed and working HARD.
restaurant industry - cousin (college grad interested in gourmet food) who worked in a high end restaurant (featured on Gourmet magazine - not your mom and pop joint), worked his way up to the meat station. When I saw him over the past holidays, his forearms were marked up with scars from burns from the ovens and grills. Also works like a dog. He quit and is looking to start his own business. He personally loves his job, but again, not for me.
Teaching - I have friends that are elementary school teachers, and have to deal with unruly kids, parents who blame them for their kids shortcomings, and administration constraints on how they can teach. Furthermore, a lot of them have to buy supplies with their own money because of budget constraints. (I personally think teachers get nowhere near the level of respect they should be getting.)
Anyways, the point is that every job has BS to deal with. I realize medicine has malpractice, and HMOs, and paperwork, and this and that. I realize that in residency I will be abused. I realize that after med school, residency, and (and hopefully fellowship), I will have lived through my 20s training, and earning little money.
As cliche as it sounds, I think its worth it, because I get to meet and talk to all different people (good and bad) and my main focus was to help them in some way. Seriously, during an ICU rotation, I was polite and professional with the family of my patient. I simply updated information to them on a regular basis and they were so grateful. (I realize that there are bad patients, but not everyone is bad!)
I am not interested in playing around with interest rates, consulting businesses to lay off workers, programming, doing research, etc. I am not interest in pharmacy or dentistry for whatever reason. Furthermore, even if I do primary care, my average salary is around 150k-ish, with pretty good job security. Growing up poor, that is way more than I ever envisioned myself making, seriously.
THERE IS NO PERFECT JOB. Life is hard for everyone. The grass is always greener on the other side.
Bottom line is at least I feel like I can help someone with an MD, with a more than OK salary and good job security.
we must change the face of medical-political brough-ha-ha! Make it bow down, and serve our wishes!! We must get the insurance companies and the gov't to march to our tune, by becoming Physicians United for the Common Good, and Willing to Kick Some Arsehole Arse!!! Yeeeaahhhh!!!!!!! 
