In partial response to Bostoninan's question about studying Medicine and law in other countries......it's complicated in Australia.
Here you can start school at 5 and finish year 1 age 6. It is not uncommon to start University at 17 particularly in certain states like Queensland. Red shirting has made starting University at 18 more common.
Law is available as an undergraduate degree. It is a combined degree, with a choice of Arts, Science, engineering, criminology, computer science etc. It takes 5 years minimum, and can take 6 or 7. That means finishing a law degree potentially at 22 although there is usually a six month post grad requirement at what is called the College of Law also. Make it 23.
Medicine is more complex. It can be done as an undergraduate degree with one university offering a five year course or there is a more traditional six year course. It can also be done as a post graduate. Most undergraduate Arts and Science degrees are three years with an option for a fourth Honours year for some. university courses are more immediately specialized here.
So as an undergraduate it is possible to finish age 22 (17+5) but more common to be 23 or 24. As a graduate the straight path takes a minimum of 7 years so 24 or 25. Then there is a year of internship which is compulsary General training in a paid position. After that one to three years as a resident which is a non training role while trying to get onto a specialist training program which is generally five years but can be much longer. A specialist who goes straight through a graduate program having left school at 18 will be 32 at a minimum at the end of the process.
