What do you think of a career as a Medical Scientist, someone who researches diseases and tries to find cures?

I'm a college-bound student, and I want to go into medical research. I've always had a passion for wanting to help people, especially those with terminal illnesses, like AIDS, or people in unfortunate situations, like those who've suffered brain injuries. I don't want to work one-on-one with these people, but rather try to find cures or at least treatments to improve their lives. However, I hear this is not a good career to take up, because medical scientists don't make much money unless they have a breakthrough. I'm really passionate and determined to help and discover cures, but I also don't want have to struggle with money =/ So what would you advise me to do? Any medical researchers out there or anyone who knows one that could tell me a little bit about their life as a researcher? Thanks =)


ALSO any schools I should be looking into?

What do you think of a career as a Medical Scientist, someone who researches diseases and tries to find cures?
i think we should be thankful for people that that help find cures ...here is a research group that is looking for cures someone on the message board might be able to help http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/