Financial advice that female physicians would give their younger selves

Overcome negative beliefs Many women report discomfort and embarrassment when it comes to talking about finances, with just 55% of women saying they feel confident about money management, according to results from studies by Fidelity Investments and U.S. Bank. Shenary Cotter, M.D., says she would advise herself to "keep your lifestyle the same as residency until you have enough money in the bank to leave any job that makes you sad. Female physicians also would advise their younger selves to consider using alternate loan repayment options such as the National Health Service Corps, applying to the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program, or joining the military. "The great thing is that after a set period of time, you will be debt-free," she says. Because the Public Student Loan Forgiveness program requires physicians to first work for a qualified employer for 10 years (which can include residency training), doctors who are interested in self-ownership may want to skip the program, says Megan Moini, M.D., a primary care physician and pediatrician in Beach-wood, Ohio.