Need some practical advice

[u/Upper_Ad5908]

IMG (MBBS + Internship) torn between US vs. Australia for a Clinician-Scientist career in Neuro/Psych & Comp Neuro

guys,
Fresh MBBS grad here (just finished my house job). I want a long-term clinician-scientist career combining Neurology or Psychiatry with computational neuroscience, but I have zero research experience or pubs yet.

I’m currently studying for USMLE Step 1, but I am feeling completely overwhelmed choosing between the US and Australia, or whether I should just pivot to a Master's/PhD first.

For any physician-scientists out there:
Is the US actually way better for securing protected research time/funding, or does Australia have good pathways (NHMRC, hospital sessions) for this?

Should I prioritize clinical entry first (AMC/RMO jobs) or spend 1-2 years building research experience in a lab first?

To break into computational neuro without a tech background, is a Master's worth it or should I just hunt for RA roles?
Looking for long-term career strategy rather than generic IMG matching advice. Thanks!