With rare exceptions, today my answer would be no.
Why?
Because I think for most people the debt burden (which on average is around $200,000) is simply too high, and it will drive nearly every quality of life/career choices for 10-15 years after medical school.
Combine that with the inexorable drift towards the widgetization of physicians (after all, BigHealth only sees you as another provider), I just think it’s too big a price to pay.
Effectively people will spend nearly a decade of their life getting into debt, and then over a decade of their life getting out of it, as they work in a high-pressure environment that progressively dehumanizes them.
But what are my exceptions?
Well, someone with generational wealth—someone who doesn’t have to consider practical questions about mortgages, paying of any loans, college tuition for future kids, etc—the folks who can tailor-design their career after residency to whatever they see fit—including not even to go into residency. These folks should have at it.
There’s also something to be said for a military career as a physician. Here your debt burden should be much less, and you have already decided on a specific long-term commitment after residency. If your principal desire is to serve your country, and if you love the military life, and you love medicine, then becoming a military physician could be a great choice.
Finally, there are those rare individuals whose whole life is devoted to service. These are the people in which the practice of medicine is such a strong calling they would gladly work for free—and sometimes do! For these folks, there are few careers better suited to help others than a physician.
But for the rest? Well, If you are a bright, driven student in their early twenties looking to contribute to the world while having a comfortable life, I would strongly consider looking at alternatives other than becoming a physician.