@Daz:
Huh? Act 1 Strange was far more of a giant, unempathic asshole than Tony ever was, specifically due to the type of doctor he was.
! Strange outright refuses to treat difficult patients that might stain his "perfect record", choosing only ones "worthy of his talents", which may make him look good. He is clearly more invested in his legacy, doing talks and having procedures named after him than actually saving lives. This type of Doctor absolutely exists; I've met and known several people who became doctors because the pay and prestige is great, and their grades are so good that "might as well". Over the course of the movie Strange learns to appreciate the true value of being a Doctor (helping others, not killing people), and leaves actual doctoring behind altogether in order to protect even more people.
I fully agree that theres similarities to be found between Strange and Tony, but I think they develop and end up decidedly different. Ultimately, I think Stranges development is just greater than Tonys (partially because Strange starts off as an asshole), and that he actually sacrifices something.
I think though from my perspective that yeah, Strange called about himself more than anything else, and maybe I'm seeing in between the lines, but I never thought there wasn't any part of him that didn't care about saving lives. Yes, he's the type of doctor that puts his career first, but just inherently if you didn't care about people and saving lives in some capacity, you don't become a doctor, and I think that aspect was always there since Day 1.
And I know it's kinda odd/unfair to do since this happened about halfway through the movie…but
! The scene where he tries to save the life of the guy who was trying to stop the New York Sanctum and his disgust at not following the Hippocratic Oath never seemed to me to be a change of heart or growth in the film but something inherent in Strange from the beginning.
@Daz:
! I think its unfair to call it "mad science/can do no wrong" attitude. Strange manipulating time to trick Dormammu and restore and reverse Kaecelius' damage is far more reasoned and defensible than Tony Stark building another super-robot and crossing his fingers that "it'll probably work this time. We're mad scientists bro!". Plus, him returning the eye also means that purposefully lets his watch and hands stay broken, as a reminder to himself, as he stands alone in his sanctum.
! I can't say I agree with that. When Mordo is here he doesn't have much alternative left. He either reverse the process or let the earth(this universe?) perish. It would be a good point if he actually kept the eye because he believes he can manage him without risk but once the adventure is done he accepts the eye is not something he should play with and return it to his rightful place. I think it's a show of how he actually acknowledge he shouldn't play with such powerful force without being prepared.
! And I agree with you both that this film Strange's actions at the end were reasonable, and him returning the Eye shows a sense of humility, but I personally didn't see in the film the idea that Strange truly believes the Eye is the last resort type of object or the full ramifications of using the Eye. I just saw an arrogant individual bend the laws of nature and things working out, so he may believe it's okay to do so again in the future, i.e. doesn't fully grasp the risks involved.
! Though I guess as Daz pointed out, him not restoring his hands and keeping the broken watch are good reminders/mementos of his humility.