Med school is expensive, stressful, and lengthy. Good thing there’s always a high demand for doctors and they are always paid high salaries. There are also a lot of career growth opportunities especially for those who are aiming to specialize in a certain field. Not to mention the quality of life. Australia is known as “the lucky country”
There’s a high demand for doctors all over the world, but a lot of GP’s (general practitioners) choose Australia. If you’re looking for a good place to pursue and practice being a GP, you better take a look at the benefits the “land down under” has to offer.
- Wide-ranging career opportunities.
One of the best things about being a GP in Australia is having the capacity to choose where you want to work.
There is no doubt that Australia is one of the most picturesque countries across the globe, and the country-side is as lovely as its major cities. As a doctor, you are given a wide range of work location options. There are large teaching hospitals, private clinics, etc.
While a lot of doctors usually choose big cities for obvious reasons, working in the country is also a good option.
There are a handful of challenges of course, due to the remoteness of some areas and the huge need for medical workers. Nonetheless, working in a rural area in Australia gives doctors the opportunity to approach health care holistically.
Although rural-based doctors carry a huge responsibility, that is not to say that they are not supported. The Rural Doctors Association of Australia is one of the biggest organization of remote and rural doctors in the world. They conduct yearly conferences together with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine called Rural Medicine Australia for research and scientific collaborations between members.
Through this rural and remote doctors in Australia are continually thriving.
- Center for medical breakthroughs.
Rural Medicine Australia, as mentioned earlier, is one of the avenues for doctors to share and exchange information to address current and pressing medical challenges.
Through this, doctors are able to discuss a wide range of topics such as innovation, indigenous health, and even tropical medicine.
Moreover, a lot of medical breakthroughs first started in Australia, such as the discovery of penicillin, IVF, and many more.
- Competitive salary. Better Work-life Balance.
Working in the medical field exposes you to a highly stressful work environment, not to mention medical professionals have the longest work hours. There’s a complete and total wreck of work-life balance.
This still happens to many GP jobs in Australia but since Australians are known for their good work-life balance, you can expect your directors to give you enough to time for yourself, family, and rest.
Aside from work-life balance, rural GPs in Australia are given a pretty good incentive for working remotely. According to ABC News, rural doctors are paid AU$400,000 annually, with free rent and a car.
It comes with it a lot of challenges of course, like fighting kangaroos in the streets or koala bears lodging in your garage but the financial rewards are worth it.
- Progressive professional growth.
Pursuing learning in Australia is one of the best decisions you could ever make. Their medical courses are pretty much the same to that of the USA and the UK. Moreover, they have the best universities, clinical facilities, and research organizations.
All throughout Australia, you are given amazing opportunities to learn, advance your skills, and grow in your profession.
- Balanced health-care system.
Australia has a remarkably balanced health care system. It is a mix of both public and private health care providers. The Australian federal government funds Medicare and that provides free or subsidized care to generally every Australian; its own citizens, New Zealand citizens, and residents with a permanent visa.
Aside from the universal health care (Medicare), many prescription medications are also being subsidized by the government.
- Multi-cultural nation.
Moving to Australia is a breeze. They are a multi-cultural country and are very welcoming to new migrants who wish to explore their careers. It is one of the most culturally- diverse nations all over the world and that makes them very friendly and tolerant of other cultures and religions as people.
And should you miss the food back home, you’ll always find a good number of restaurants that offer that everywhere in Australia.
