Compare second year pay at that fast food joint and at any of those airlines.... then compare 5 and 10 year pay at the same places.....

and FYI, Doctors don't make crap their first two years eaither typically....
even later, by the time they are done paying the costs of running an office with staff, they aren't making what they used to anymore either.
A typical Orthopod in the Boston area, if he/she still practices surgery, is paying around 250k per year just for the malpractice insurance.... then factor in the costs of their office, their secretary, in office nurse, their insurance and benefits, taxes and other associated overhead and while it may be true the Doctor brings in a ton of money a year, most of it goes right back out in related costs. For instance a family member of mine once told me, he LOST $5 dollars per patient on office visits. He billed out a small profit, and the insurance companies always paid less than what what billed resulting in the small loss. The office visits paid for everything except him...(office staff, office, related costs) and doing Cast Clinincs and Surgery is what let him recover the small office loss and put left over money in his pocket. He lived well, but nowhere near what people would expect when you told them he took in close to 800k per year.