Dentistry Versus Medicine in Australia

[JoeNamaMD]

Hi, I'm a North American student interested in studying in Australia. I am choosing between Medicine and Dentistry. The thing I want to know is which field will give me a better chance of getting able to stay in Australia and work there after I complete my degree? Someone told me that it is very hard for foreign born doctors even if they studied in Australia to work there. I have heard that even if a foreign medical student gets PR during the course of study they can lose their place in medical school. I have heard that it is easier for foreign students studying Dentistry to get PR. Is Dentistry a better choice if I want to get Permanent Residency and work there? Are there plenty of work opportunities for Dentists, particularly in the larger cities like Sydney and Melbourne? How do Dentist salaries compare to GP physician salaries in Australia? I have a very serious interest in moving to Australia and living there and would appreciate any advice.

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[Keen]

Hi,

You're job prospects of staying in the country are probably both pretty good. Maybe a little higher as a medical practitioner.
Although you have to remember that if you're studying dentistry here it's very hard to get in if you're gone to university (college) as there are less than 100 places probably.
There are a lot more post-grad medicine places especially with many more places being added this year (800ish). And you're job prospects are good. If you trained overseas you may have to work in a regional/remote/rural area or encouraged to.
But hey if you want to go to the most beautiful country in the world.

Good decision.

Cheers

Keen

 

[redshifteffect]

Originally posted by JoeNamaMD
Hi, I'm a North American student interested in studying in Australia. I am choosing between Medicine and Dentistry. The thing I want to know is which field will give me a better chance of getting able to stay in Australia and work there after I complete my degree? Someone told me that it is very hard for foreign born doctors even if they studied in Australia to work there. I have heard that even if a foreign medical student gets PR during the course of study they can lose their place in medical school. I have heard that it is easier for foreign students studying Dentistry to get PR. Is Dentistry a better choice if I want to get Permanent Residency and work there? Are there plenty of work opportunities for Dentists, particularly in the larger cities like Sydney and Melbourne? How do Dentist salaries compare to GP physician salaries in Australia? I have a very serious interest in moving to Australia and living there and would appreciate any advice.

Dentistry offers many advantages over Medicine for international students. Some schools even allow you to be guaranteed a local place if you get a PR while you are in school. In medicine this is not guaranteed...but if you choose your school wisely shouldn't be a problem (easier in undergrad vs. postgrad schools).

I have been saying it's hard for foreign born students who study in post graduate australian schools to stay there. Currently the chances are better with certain undergraduate schools. Particularly those in rural areas or in areas where there is a great need for docs (Tasmania and Western Australia).

As for a PR Dentistry is on the skilled occupations list...which means it's a lot easier to get the 115 points you need to stay in Australia...med is not. Which is why you have to go through an RMO "route" to get a PR. That being said another advantage is that you dont' have to do a residency...and you can get a job right after graduation.

However...dentists don't make as much as docs in the long run (if thats a concern for you) and well I'm not really sure about the procedure/competition to become an orthodontist or other specialist type dentist.

As for living in Melb/sydney a PR will let you live anywhere...but remember these places have no shortage of skilled health professionals...so in the end you may not be able to live there anyway...b/c of the over saturation of docs/dentists (unless you go to the outer suburbs...)

 

[Purifyer]

Alternatively you could go to dentistry school in dunedin, NZ (apparently it is very prestigious... but then... you know how dent students talk...). Get PR, then citizenship in NZ (it's alot easier to get PR/citizenship in NZ than oz afaik). After you get citizenship in NZ take the first plane to australia and bludge off the australian government as you get instant Australian PR.

Well it's what all the polynesians do

 

[JoeNamaMD]

If I enroll in a Dental school in Australia, how long will I have to wait before I can apply for Permanent Residency? I saw that Dentistry is on the skilled occupation list. Also, would obtaining Australian PR jeapordize my current citizenship?

 

[Dr.Magic]

Purifyer: As of Feb 2001, the australian govt changed the rules for PR for NZ passport holders. There is now a two year waiting period before you can claim any benefits of PR and you have to apply for PR just like everyone else, NO MORE FREE RIDES!!

 

[Purifyer]

Originally posted by Dr.Magic
Purifyer: As of Feb 2001, the australian govt changed the rules for PR for NZ passport holders. There is now a two year waiting period before you can claim any benefits of PR and you have to apply for PR just like everyone else, NO MORE FREE RIDES!!

Yeah I got a little off topic with the bludging.. I'm aware of the two year waiting period for government benefits. The PR is still essentially automatic though (I'm not sure if there's a waiting period or not), and you don't even need PR to live in Australia and study there full time paying the same amount as Australian citizens and even the Australian government gives New Zealanders HEX loans.

As far as I know

My point still stands however - I think the OP would have a much easier time getting a degree in dentistry from NZ, getting NZ citizenship then moving to Australia.

 

[Dr.Magic]

Just to clarify some points for our international friends.
There is no instant PR anymore, you have to apply properly. Instant PR was before 2001 when all you had to do was rock up to australia and have a stamp put on your passport and that was it. You can still come and live here and study or work BUT they put a different stamp on your passport.

According to the current rules, if you DO NOT have Australian Citizenship but have NZ citizenship, then you have to pay your HECS contribution UPFRONT. Which means that you still pay the lower rate of about 6000 bucks a year BUT you have to pay it each semester - and you cannot defer it like us aussies. Australian PR does not have much effect on HECS or fees. You need aussie citizenship. But I guess if someone already has a qualification in dentistry from NZ, they would not need to study further in Oz.

I was in a similar situation where I had to pay upfront for semester 1 but after I got my citizenship, I deferred the rest of the years payments.

It may be easier to come via NZ after you complete your studies. But then why would you want to study in that depressing atmosphere in NZ, they also have a serious brain drain happening - honestly NZ is only good for retired 80 yr old grandparents immigrating from england. For young ones, It's beautiful and all but only good for a short visit

 

[Purifyer]

Thats not true ! That's not true! *runs away crying to mummy*

 

[RoyalAlbatross]

Maybe I could give you an advice re: Med Vs Dent


Clever people go into Medicine


However,



Smart people go into Dentistry

Dentistry's benefit (only applicable in Australia and NZ, and UK to some extent) is that you are given a full licence to practice upon graduation. The US/Canadian grads are in a different boat because they have to sit their regional boards and all that.

If you are inclined to go into specialty in dentistry there are quite a few choices:

Orthodontics (Braces)
Endodontics (Root Canals = real hot potato nowadays)
Periodontics (Gums = 2nd most legit way of doing implants)
Oral & Max-Fax Surgery (Wisdom teeth to cleft palate fixers, 6 years postgrad training also get a medical degree)
Pediatric dentist (kids!!!)
Oral path (pathology for mouth)
Oral med (GP for mouth, oral pathologists' buddy)
Prosthodotics (bridges, dentures, crowns and full mouth fixers)
Public health (epidemiology, fluoride, caries, statistics!!!)
Special needs (upcoming specialty? looks after the elderly, special needs, institutionalized)

General dentist (Family dentistry = all the garden variety!)

Academic dentist (lectures, university, grants, research)

Military dentists (make people fit so they are efficient at their job)

Anyway, the list may not be exhaustive... there's more to your heart's desire...

Dentistry is a good career if you like 9-5 job where you call the shots. If you own your own practice, then you've got to use your business side of your brain and think profit as well.

Australia and NZ both need dentists to serve in their rural areas. It is not that hard to get an offer in the rural area. This also applies to the US dental scene as well where major metropolitan areas are totally saturated with dentists left right and centre!

Good luck!

Cheers,

2ed.

 

[bagofmonkeys]

I know a guy who did both.
He finished his dentistry degree, practiced for a few years, now he's back doing the last 4 years of out 6 yr med degree.
He's going to be a maxillofacial surgeon.
megabucks!!

Seriously though, rural Aus needs doctors. So much so that the govt is recruiting docs from places like Sth Africa to fill the shortages.
It's a bit sad really, taking the few qualified doctors away from an area that needs them so desperately but can't pay to keep them there. Still, I guess they want to move away to make a better life for their families....