Australia generally offers better pay, work-life balance, and lifestyle for doctors, especially GPs, due to higher earning potential (per consultation system), shorter hours, and outdoor environment, appealing to those seeking better quality of life; the UK provides immense clinical experience via the NHS and potentially lower living costs, making it great for early career development, but often with more stress and bureaucracy, so the choice depends on career stage and priorities.
The UK was also considered better for learning and development and opportunities for career progression. But doctors saw the UK as worse than its main competitor countries on several factors: 84% thought that their competitor country would pay higher salaries, with only 5% thinking the opposite.
Why Australia? Fantastic Lifestyle: Enjoy better weather, beautiful beaches, and a relaxed work-life balance. Strong Remuneration: Australian doctors generally earn more than their UK counterparts. Shorter Working Hours: Work a 38-hour week compared to the average 48 hours in the UK.
The best doctors in the world are often found in countries with top-ranked healthcare systems and medical education. These include the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Higher Salaries and Better Work-Life Balance
This, coupled with the enhanced work-life balance for doctors in Australia, makes moving here incredibly appealing. Australian healthcare jobs also often come with competitive salaries and benefits packages, which are enticing for those feeling the strain of the NHS system.
The UK is generally 10-25% cheaper for cost of living, but Australia offers 20-30% higher salaries. After accounting for purchasing power and disposable income, professionals often find similar financial positions.
The good news is that the training structure in the UK is broadly comparable to the Australian system (including undergraduate medical training, postgraduate years, etc.), which helps a lot. For instance, many UK-trained doctors are eligible for streamlined recognition in Australia because of this alignment.
In 2022, practice satisfaction among primary care physicians varied significantly from one country to another. According to this survey conducted in 2022, physicians in Switzerland were mostly satisfied with their medical practice.
So, let us look at the top 5 most competitive specialties that conclude the debate of what is the hardest doctor to become.
Jobs paying $500k+ in Australia are primarily in highly specialized fields like Medical Specialists (surgeons, anaesthetists), Senior Finance/Executive Roles (CFO, Head of Treasury, Investment Directors), and high-end Sales & Construction Management (Elite Stockbrokers, Senior Project Managers/Estimators in complex sectors). While roles like Neurosurgeon and Ophthalmologist average well over $500k, achieving this in other sectors often involves performance-based bonuses or leading major projects, with opportunities listed on job boards like SEEK and Jora.
Australia scores higher than the UK on almost every global quality of life ranking. Beyond better weather, the numbers back it up: health, education, safety, environment, and purchasing power.
The GMC report showed that, while doctors' satisfaction had slightly improved, it remained lower than pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 59% of doctors reported being satisfied with their day-to-day work—up from 53% in 2023 but down from 63% in 2019.
While the UK, USA, and Canada each have their advantages, Australia stands out as the premier destination for international students. Its combination of world-class education, supportive visa policies, affordable costs, vibrant lifestyle, and strong career pathways makes it the best all-around option.
Australians are happier than Kiwis, Americans, and Brits, according to a new report. But there's also a generational divide that highlights a "worrying trend".
Yes, $100k is generally considered a strong salary in Australia, placing you above the average (which hovers around $90k-$108k for full-time, but median is lower) and allowing for a comfortable life, though its impact depends heavily on location (major city vs. regional) and personal expenses like housing and dependents, as high living costs in cities like Sydney can stretch this income further than in regional areas.
For example, oral and maxillofacial surgery and plastic surgery are both considered among the rarest specialties in medicine. In the case of oral and maxillofacial surgery, professionals are trained in both dentistry and surgery, which makes it an even rarer specialty.
For those prioritizing work-life balance, specialties like dermatology, ophthalmology, family medicine and psychiatry offer less stressful environments and lower rates of burnout.
The Ten Most Competitive Medical Specialties to Match Into
According to the latest 2025 CEOWORLD Health Care Index, Taiwan once again ranks as the country with the best healthcare in the world, maintaining its top position with an overall score of 78.72. South Korea (77.7) and Australia (74.11) remain in second and third place, respectively.
Doctors in the following fields had the highest rates of agreeing that happiness in their specialty was possible:
The following are the best countries that offer lucrative job opportunities for doctors and allow them to grow professionally.
One of the major challenges faced by doctors in the UK is long working hours and demanding schedules. Australia is known to offer more flexible working arrangements, allowing doctors to have greater control over their hours and achieve a healthier work-life balance.
According to the table above, the top 5 universities in Australia for medicine/clinical sciences are:
Residency is typically a period of one or two years of prevocational training. As a Resident Medical Officer (RMO), you may undertake research or further training to prepare for a specialty training program.