For door hardware, medicine cabinets, landscaping materials, etc. they're great.

All interesting questions Joe, but they obscure the reality of the situation: the probability and severity of an event that causes loss of life limb or eyesight in REI is orders of magnitude lower in RE than in medicine, never mind open heart surgery. 

It's becoming an extremely large medical research hub, including Nano-tech and regenerative medicines.

And with the cost of phone, food, insur and medicine, even tv is no longer free, they may be living on the financial edge.So speak with them and let them know what the rent should be and how you plan to get there. 

@Brent Coombs and @Mindy Jensen My priorities are certainly heavily weighted toward studying for medicine and becoming an excellent physician.