Rabia Khalique is in the unusual position of having transferred between two different countries to complete her medical degree. But which one does she like better and why?

“You must be mad!” This was the frequent response to my revelation that around eight months ago I transferred from studying medicine at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia to complete my clinical years at Guy's, King's, and St Thomas's in London.

I was marrying a Briton and had to move to London so that we could be together. My circumstances were highly unusual, to say the least: I was able to secure an international transfer without repeating any of what I had already done.

Since then, I have spent many days wandering the corridors of London hospitals, comparing them to those I knew in Sydney; speaking with my new colleagues, thinking how different they are to the ones I left; and getting used to the NHS, compared with Australia's Medicare.

Getting into medicine in Sydney is a little different to here. We have a higher school certificate (HSC), which is equivalent to A levels, and we generally study four or five subjects. To do medicine, these must include English and Chemistry, but the others can be chosen according to your individual interests. At the end of the HSC (which is taken over two years) we are given a tertiary entrance rank (TER); it is generally necessary to be in the top 0.7%, to do medicine.

Currently, only your TER is considered for entry into medicine, however, this is unusual and interviews will soon be used alongside the TER, to select the best applicants at the University of New South Wales. Medicine in Australia is competitive and tough to get into.

I hate to admit it, but the stereotypical medical student in Sydney was a complete bookworm, a bit obsessive-compulsive, and notoriously competitive. But, I assure you, they're not all like that—I think I have some redeeming qualities.

I was pleasantly surprised to meet their relaxed counterparts, here in London. The London medical student is typically chilled, big on “big nights out,” not too fussed about academia, and knows how to pull through exams. They are also more individual, have varied interests outside of medicine, and seem much more grown up ... or have I been deceived?

There are only two medical schools in Sydney. The one I went to was the one that had an undergraduate course. The undergraduate course at the University of New South Wales is six years long, with an integrated BSc (med). This meant three preclinical years—after which we got our bachelor's degree and could leave if we wanted to—and three clinical years. It was a largely “traditional” course; as with many medical schools throughout the world, however, there was constant “curriculum review.”

Compared with my colleagues who have come through Guy's, King's, and St Thomas's, the biggest differences are that we had to do much more pathology and pharmacology. They also learnt anatomy entirely through dissection, whereas we were taught mostly on prosections.

In terms of patient contact, by our first clinical year, we had already spent a year of having one day a week on the wards with general practitioners and consultants as tutors. Ultimately, the content of the two courses is very similar; the real differences are in style and spirit.

British medical students are, as I have mentioned already, generally much more laid back than Australian ones. Whereas Australian medical students go a bit mad with the need to study—something reinforced by the “old school” professors they are taught by—English students don't put too much pressure on themselves and seem to have educators with much more reasonable expectations. This is not to say they do not take studying medicine seriously. They just have a much less intense attitude to it, which is something I am impressed with.

What I don't like so much is the attitude of the public to doctors in this country. You cannot open a newspaper any day without reading about a hospital scandal, a doctor's misconduct, or somebody blaming the medical profession.

Unfortunately, the media's constant negative spotlight, and the limited response of our “representative” bodies to counter it, is ultimately reflected back onto doctors themselves. It seems no wonder that morale is low among general practitioners, that fewer school students choose medicine as a career, and that more and more medical students and junior doctors are choosing to pursue alternative careers. Australians are much more positive about the service their doctors provide, and the papers are not quite so persecutory.

Student lifestyle in London has got to be one of the best in the world. There is so much to do, great things to see, and great cheap holidays only a hop away. Although leaving students in debt, the government provides loans which at least have low interest rates. Technically, anyone—rich or poor—can study medicine in this country, although the cost of everything in London is horrifically expensive.

The Australian situation is a bit different. I can definitely vouch for the great student lifestyle. Australia is, however, so huge and so far away from anywhere else that holidays abroad are few and far between; the greatest opportunity is on elective. Sydney is a great city, but I actually think London is better in terms of what is on offer for students.

In financial terms, most medical students in Sydney come from wealthy families to begin with. There is no concept of student loans to cover living expenses. The government provides loans for tuition fees for those who cannot pay up front, but when it comes to living expenses, most students are reliant on their parents, and on part time jobs, to keep them going. Also, most students live at home and commute during their degree. There are few scholarships available. Naturally, this situation means that most medical students are from richer families to begin with. The UK system, while not ideal, is fairer.

The lifestyle of doctors in Sydney is better than that of their counterparts in London: they earn relatively more and are able to achieve a higher standard of living with their income than doctors have here.

Medicare, the Australian system of healthcare delivery, is very similar to the NHS. Both provide medical care that is free at the point of contact.

In the UK, funding comes from general and income taxes. In Australia there is a Medicare levy—an additional flat tax, specifically for health care, of around 1%, that each taxpayer must pay. An increasing number of Australians are also taking out private health insurance, with government incentives (such as tax rebates) encouraging this.

I have been fortunate to have the “best of both worlds.” Life as a medical student in Sydney was fantastic. Yet being a medical student in London is just as good in its own way. I love London life, so, for me, there is no question. Sydney is the best place to go back to on holiday, but I am really looking forward to being a doctor in London.