Migration of Junior Doctors: The Case of Psychiatric Trainees in Portugal

Workforce migration and brain drain - A nationwide cross-sectional survey of early career psychiatrists in Nigeria

Background

Nigeria's shortage of psychiatrists is exacerbated due to health worker migration.

Aim

This study explores migration experiences and tendencies among early-career psychiatrists in Nigeria.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey covering Nigeria's six geopolitical zones, using a 61-item online questionnaire assessing short-term mobility, long-term migration experiences and migration attitudes. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 29.

Results

Of 228 early-career psychiatrists surveyed, 9.7% had short-term mobility and 8.0% had long-term migration experiences. However, 85.8% had 'ever' considered migration, 69.2% were planning to leave 'now', and 52.9% had taken 'practical migration steps'. Over half (52.7%) said they would be working abroad in 5 years, with 25.2% indicating they would migrate within a year. The top reasons to leave were financial and academic, while personal and cultural factors were the key reasons to stay. Income dissatisfaction (OR = 2.27, 95%, CI = 1.05-4.88) predicted planning to leave 'now', while being in a relationship (OR = 3.46, 95%CI = 1.06-11.30) predicted taking 'practical migration steps'. Attractive job features were good welfare (85.4%) and high salaries (80.3%). Improvements in finances (90.8%) and work conditions (86.8%) were requested.

Conclusions

Systemic changes to address psychiatrists' migration from Nigeria are needed.

Attitude towards migration of psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran

INTRODUCTION

Migration of medical professionals has been rapidly increasing in the past decades and it strongly affects origin and destination countries.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to explore the extent and the reasons of migration among psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran.

METHODS

Our semi-structured 61-items questionnaire inquired participants' demographics, experiences of short-term mobility (from 3 months to 1 year), long-term migration (more than 1 year) and attitudes towards migration (current and future plans).

RESULTS

A total of 184 responses were received. Most (73.4 %) participants were female, and within the age range of 25-65 (Mean: 34.9). Only 15.2 % had a short-term mobility experience, mostly due to academic reasons (35.7 %). Most (75 %) stated that this short-term mobility experience influenced them in favor of migration. The majority (83.7 %) had 'ever' considered leaving Iran, and more than half (57.3 %) stated they 'strongly agree' or 'agree' to leaving the country 'now' (at the time of the study). The main reason to migrate from Iran was first political, followed by work, financial, social, religious, academic, and cultural reasons, and the least ranked were personal reasons. In relation to their 5-year plans, 67.3 % saw themselves in the country they currently live in, Iran. The main features reported for an attractive job were 'pleasant work environment' (97.3 %), 'good welfare and social security' (96.7 %) and 'high salary '(96.2 %).

CONCLUSIONS

This study calls for more support of psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran. Improvements in the political context, work conditions and finances might lower the rate of migratory intention and brain drain.

Migration of Medical Professionals: The Case of Psychiatric Trainees in Spain

The social and economic situation in Europe seems to play a role in the migratory flow of doctors and other health professionals within the continent. However, little is known about the particular reality of workforce migration in Spain. The objective of this study was to explore the factors that motivate migration among junior doctors training in psychiatry in Spain. A semistructured questionnaire of 61 items was circulated to psychiatric trainees in Spain to explore the extent and the factors that influence the decisions regarding workforce migration. A total of 95 psychiatric trainees participated in the survey. More than two-thirds (n = 71, 74.7%) had "ever" considered migrating to another country, and more than one-fourth (n = 21, 29.5%) had already taken "practical steps" to go abroad. The main reasons to consider leaving the country were financial (n = 82, 86%) and the opportunity to progress professionally (n = 82, 84%). However, nearly half of the trainees (n = 47, 49%) were satisfied with their current income. While the majority of the psychiatric trainees in this survey had considered migrating abroad, these potential future migrations could lead to a loss of human capital with an important sociosanitary impact.

Attitudes towards migration from the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: similar history but different psychiatric trainees?

This article aimed to describe and compare migration tendencies between junior doctors training in psychiatry in the Baltic countries. A cross-sectional survey was circulated in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2013-2014 as part of the Brain Drain study. The 61-item, anonymous questionnaire covered participants' demographic data, experiences of short-term mobility, long-term migration and trainees' attitudes towards migration. In this sample (n = 95) of psychiatric trainees in the Baltic countries, the majority were female (79.1%), training in adult psychiatry (77.9%). A vast majority (87.0%) of psychiatric trainees in the Baltic countries have 'ever' considered leaving the country; almost half (in Estonia) or more than a half (in Lithuania and Latvia) were considering leaving 'now'; yet a minority took 'practical steps' towards migration. For all trainees in the Baltic states, personal reasons were the most important to stay in their country. Whilst regarding reasons to leave, financial was top in Lithuania, while trainees from Estonia and Latvia indicated personal reasons as key to emigrate. Several psychiatric trainees in the Baltic countries had considered migration, with many calling for improvements in their salaries. These findings call for further investigation and action to support the workforce in the Baltics.