Choosing Your Medical Specialty: Pick 2 of 3 — Time, Money, or Location

The 3-Way Tradeoff in Medicine

When it comes to selecting your medical specialty, you're often forced to choose two of the following:

• Time/Lifestyle

• Money

• Location

Rarely do you get all three. But that doesn’t mean you can’t build an amazing career and life—you just need to be strategic about which two matter most, then engineer solutions for the third.

Most physicians find themselves short in one category—but that third area can often be managed or even turned into a strength with the right approach.

If You Give Up Money

You can still build wealth:

• Invest in Real Estate early, even in training. I used my future orthopedic salary to secure zero-money-down commercial loans—starting with a duplex, then five single-family homes, then another duplex.

• Pursue Ancillary Income: Medical directorships, consulting, teaching, and online education are accessible paths.

• Avoid Lifestyle Creep: Choose margin over materialism early on to buy freedom later.

If You Give Up Time

You can still live with balance:

• Live Efficiently: Short commutes, supportive community, and intentional time with family and hobbies go a long way.

• Structure Your Schedule: Protect weekends, batch admin tasks, and set boundaries even in demanding specialties.

• Leverage High Income: Use it to outsource what you can and invest in passive income.

If You Give Up Location

You can still enjoy your life:

• Build a Dream Home: Living in a rural area? Make your home your sanctuary—space to host, cook, entertain.

• Create Community: We got involved locally—hosting events, joining the golf club, and helping improve our town.

• Use Distance to Recharge: We live 35–60 minutes from bigger cities. That turns weekend outings into intentional adventures.

Final Thoughts: Your Life Is Bigger Than Your Specialty

Picking a specialty is just one part of the puzzle. With the right mindset, financial plan, and lifestyle design, you can build a fulfilling, balanced life—even if you can’t check all three boxes on day one.

Ready to Create Your Own Freedom?

If you’re serious about using real estate to fill the gaps—whether that’s more time, more money, or more flexibility:

• Get my full real estate course for just $97 (limited-time offer with money-back guarantee). I’ll walk you through exactly how I built my portfolio from training to today. Click HERE to enroll.

• Don’t have the time but want the rewards?
  You can invest passively alongside me through Davis Equity Partners, my private equity group helping physicians build long-term wealth. Click HERE to invest.

Let your specialty be the foundation—but let your decisions after that define your freedom.

Real Estate Investor MD