Country vs Metropolitan

I am buying this :D

I was flipping through copies of the old ADA News Bulletins lying around when I came across the President's comment on higher education reform in the October issue. He said," Faced with a high level of debt, the ADA is concerned that students will be more likely to choose to practice in metropolitan areas rather than rural and regional areas". This gives the false impression that dentists earn more in metropolitan areas and could discourage new graduates from considering working in rural or regional areas. In fact, on average, dentists in country practices actually earn more than those in city practices.

Speaking from personal experience, chosing to work in the outback and regional areas despite strong objection from family right after graduation was probably one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life (the other being giving medical school the middle finger and went back to dental school :D ). While my friends are struggling to get their appointment books filled and seeing 1 patient on a "good" day I'm fully booked 2 months ahead. Not to mention I could get experience in the full range of techniques (e.g. doing surgical extraction of a distally impacted 38 2 weeks after I started working), unlike my friend P who graduated a year before me and currently practising in Melbourne, I was shocked when she told me she has never done crown and molar endo before.

As for the financial reward, it's bloody good. Manolo Blahnik? Pffffft I can buy a pair of those killer heels working 1 day. Oh did I mention I'm buying a house? I made an official offer today. :D I've only been working for 1 year and 6 months since I graduated, yup minus the 4 months holiday I took, I wonder how long it would take for a new grad working in the city to afford that. I'm not trying to show off, I'm just sick of my friends whinging about how poor they're and yet refused to leave the city. It's really not that bad out here. Yes, you don't have 7 days shopping in the country, but who needs that when there're so many beautiful beaches and national parks. People here are much friendlier too, and definitely a safer place to live than the city. There's no problem with traffic jam and parking space, so less risk of getting hypertension and road rage.

So while my friends working down south continue to whinge about their poor wage I'll be sipping tropical punch in the comfort of my airconditioned theatre room. :D