I remember, not too long ago, reading that Gerry Springer was Australia's most watched show. But if you can get beyond strip malls, shopping sprees, cars, swimming pools, beach bunnies and TV (oft mentioned priorities), I think you'll find Australia to be very different than the US -- in both good ways and bad ways.

That being said Brisbane is a dead ringer for Ft. Lauderdale.

From what I've seen, I think that makes sense. If you can't get PR before you apply, it makes little sense to choose Australia over the strong (and proven) Carribean schools. If you can not get into a good Carribean school, I would still think very hard about before enrolling in an Australian program.

but pretty much all the above is true in Canada, where there are even more commercial ties with the US. I see new differences b/w US and Oz, the cultures, every day, but I guess it depends on what you're looking at.

Interesting, haven't heard that comparison, but also haven't been to Ft Lauderdale for many years. I commonly hear a comparison with San Diego, which I see.

but senna, don't you think that statement is telling people what to value? For me, and for a large number of n americans here, it makes LOADS of sense for us to be here, particularly those of us who had good scores (and marks and research and extracurriculars and 'connections'...) and who didn't apply anywhere else, but who wanted to be here for our own reasons.

I don't think ANYONE else can really say that the way another person weighs their priorities makes "little sense" -- if a romantic tendency or sense of adventure or interest in this part of the world or interest in how training is done here or the bush or having a life while in school or particular research or other outweighs the one objective negative -- the extra effort needed to "get back" -- outweighs the obsession that SO MANY people seem to have with merely minimising their effort to return asap (or in life in general, for some), as though NOTHING else matters in life...who is ANYONE to tell ANYONE they're wrong with how they weigh their values, since clearly anyone reading this far is an informed and independent organism.

-pitman

Brisbane is similar in appearance to San Diego, Sydney is similar to Los Angeles, Melbourne is similar to San Francisco, Adelaide is like Seattle, and Perth is a bit of San Diego and Tampa. In some ways if you look at it more closely Australia has a lot in common with European Union countries, but the goverment has become very pro-US since the UK isn't much of an ally anymore, I believe that the majority of migrants in this country still come from the major EU countries of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. As far as Americans are concerned I have only met a handful compared to European expats, my fiancee is Danish.

Least you forget, The Queen of England IS Australia's Head of State. (The role of the Governor General is a source of controversy with some experts arguing that Australia has two heads of state.)

OK, all cities mentioned have TV, houses, cars, shopping malls (ick!) and swimming pools (the important things?). So there are similarities. My opinion is that none of those Australian cities are in the ballpark of the American cities mentioned.

Back to my earlier question, any one know where Harvard Medical School gets PBLs tutors? Ie. Are Harvard students getting expert instruction?

Schools like Harvard and Columbia are in a class of their own, non-traditional teaching methods do not have an impact on their students, they will succeed no matter what happens. In appearances those Australian cities are similar to the North American cities mentioned. I actually knew someone from Melbourne who wanted to move to San Francisco, I did not understand why, Melbourne is safer(lower crime and no earthquakes) and far less expensive, a good home in a good area costs one fourth a similar home in the SF Bay area.