# MD looking for a home, Australia or US? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 12, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346 "2010-07-12T01:10:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/21 "2010-07-12T14:37:57Z")
Go to Australia and then work in the bush. Write your memoirs about it. Profit! ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/22 "2010-07-12T20:05:54Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Go to Australia and then work in the bush. Did I miss where he said he’s a gynecologist? ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/23 "2010-07-12T20:36:33Z")
I didn’t see anyone mention it in great deal but I suspect visa and work permit requirements will be a big factor to consider. In general it is extremely difficult to immigrate to the United States - for most people it is practically impossible. There may be exceptions for doctors. I’d begin there: research the exact requirements for a migrating doctor in both Australia and the United States: I guess this will include actual government work permits as well as the credentials required to actually practice medicine in each location. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/24 "2010-07-12T20:40:57Z")
One negative about Australia (although I do want to visit someday) is they have a lot of animals that like to eat your face. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/25 "2010-07-12T20:53:43Z")
So [does the US](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Dahmer), you know. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/26 "2010-07-12T21:22:18Z")
> [@LunarPlexus](#): > > Did I miss where he said he’s a gynecologist? I don’t now about Australia, but alot of areas (& even entire states) in the US have shortages of obstetricians/gynecologists because of the cost of malpractice insurance. ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/27 "2010-07-12T21:28:02Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I don’t now about Australia, but alot of areas (& even entire states) in the US have shortages of obstetricians/gynecologists because of the cost of malpractice insurance. Bush joke. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/28 "2010-07-13T01:29:17Z")
I suspect you’d find the culture and social structure more familiar in Australia but that is not necessarily a positive, it depends on what you want. Housing is definitely expensive here and that is partly because the economy here is good. Australia didn’t have a recession as such, just a period of low growth. As an example of the difference in economy, my savings account never went below about 4.5% interest where as I think in the US it has been much lower. The flip side of that is that it is more expensive to borrow money. I think the current interest rate on my mortgage is around 7%. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/29 "2010-07-13T04:00:39Z")
Well, not much lower. My wife has perfect credit; our mortgage rate is 6.75%, and she signed in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/30 "2010-07-13T05:53:24Z")
Interesting, I’ve just checked mine and it’s 6.76% which is nearly the same as yours but there seems to be a big difference in what you can earn with a savings account. ING Direct are paying 4.9% with a 6.25% 4 month “welcome rate” for new accounts. The best ING in the USA have to offer seems to be 1.1%. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/31 "2010-07-13T12:21:01Z")
There’s a massive shortage of doctors in the bush in Australia because no one wants to live there. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/32 "2010-07-13T12:35:49Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > There’s a massive shortage of doctors in the bush in Australia because no one wants to live there. Because there’s no infrastructure, no jobs (unless you work in the mines or you’re a teacher or doctor being paid lots by the Government to be there), and you’re a long way from anywhere… ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/33 "2010-07-13T12:39:53Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > There’s a massive shortage of doctors in the bush in Australia because no one wants to live there. Well, that’s enticing innit? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TheoS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@TheoS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheoS)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/34 "2010-07-13T19:06:20Z")
I have lived in the US all my life- I love my country and would put my life on the line for the basic freedome I enjoy. However; I have traveled heavily in Australia and New Zealand. I would not hesitate in moving to New Zealand. Australia is a US wannabe. I love the aussies but the kiwi’s have it best. Imagine the California coast during the 1940’s- wow. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/35 "2010-07-13T23:46:43Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > There’s a massive shortage of doctors in the bush in Australia because no one wants to live there. It’s because they’d _prefer_ to live in a city, but if you need to work in the “bush” in order to get your visa and subsequent residency, I don’t think it’s a big hardship. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/36 "2010-07-14T00:32:28Z")
It’s easier to get in the USA than Aussie so go to Australian when you’re young. Aussie has a milder climate compared to the USA in terms of the cold. It is also has much hotter tropical areas. New Zealand is also worth looking at. Christchurch, Dunedin, on the South Island and Wellington (rainy) or Aukland up on the North Island. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/37 "2010-07-14T00:34:22Z")
> [@TheoS](#): > > Australia is a US wannabe. See, this is what I meant about us taking ourselves too seriously. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/38 "2010-07-14T00:51:55Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > New Zealand is also worth looking at. Christchurch, Dunedin, on the South Island and Wellington (rainy) or Aukland up on the North Island. For the love of whatever Deity you believe it, do **NOT** move to Dunedin. It is a silly place Seriously, don’t. There’s something… odd about Dunedin, and people who spend too much time there are liable to become “different” in a way that’s really hard to explain, but other Kiwis will know what I mean. The thing with the South Island of NZ is that there’s actually bugger all to _do_ unless you like skiing, hunting, fishing, trekking, boating, and that sort of thing. If you want to go clubbing and sitting in trendy cafes and restaurants all hours of the night, you’re going to be disappointed. Sure, there are nightclubs and trendy cafes and restaurants in Christchurch and Dunedin, but there just isn’t that “buzz” that you get somewhere bigger and more cosmopolitan, for want of a better word. ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/39 "2010-07-14T01:41:40Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Well, that’s enticing innit? 😉 I felt like someone should give him at least a little warning. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346/40 "2010-07-14T03:30:19Z")
Like our climate, our ‘bush’ regions are also many and varied. Getting a job in the dusty outback is very different to say a town on the north coast of NSW, or in one of the communities in rural Victoria or Tasmania. MANY people make a choice to leave the bustling, overcrowded cities and re-locate to any of these areas, so it is patently false to say that ‘no-one wants to live there’ **Weedy**. Certainly the bigger cities have more to offer a professional person in terms of consumer and cultural options, but unless you are right out the\* Back of Bourke\* (so to speak) accessing these facilities is mostly no great hardship. We have roads, cars and even the INTERNET out here nowadays. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/md-looking-for-a-home-australia-or-us/546346.md?page=3)