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Why are you draining your brain? Factors underlying decisions of graduating Lebanese medical students to migrate

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  • Akl, Elie A.
  • Maroun, Nancy
  • Major, Stella
  • Afif, Claude
  • Chahoud, Bechara
  • Choucair, Jacques
  • Sakr, Mazen
  • Schünemann, Holger J.

Abstract

In the context of a worldwide physician brain drain phenomenon, Lebanon has the highest emigration factor in the Middle East and North Africa. In this manuscript we aim to identify and develop a conceptual framework for the factors underlying the decisions of graduating Lebanese medical students to train abroad. We conducted two focus groups and seven semi-structured individual interviews with 23 students. In the deductive analysis (based on the push-pull theory), students reported push factors in Lebanon and pull factors abroad related to five dimensions. They focused predominantly on how training abroad provides them with a competitive advantage in an oversaturated Lebanese job market. An inductive analysis revealed the following emerging concepts: repel factors abroad and retain factors locally; societal expectations that students should train abroad; marketing of abroad training; and an established culture of migration. The marketing of abroad training and the culture of migration are prevalent in the academic institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Akl, Elie A. & Maroun, Nancy & Major, Stella & Afif, Claude & Chahoud, Bechara & Choucair, Jacques & Sakr, Mazen & Schünemann, Holger J., 2007. "Why are you draining your brain? Factors underlying decisions of graduating Lebanese medical students to migrate," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 1278-1284, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:64:y:2007:i:6:p:1278-1284
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Everett Lee, 1966. "A theory of migration," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 3(1), pages 47-57, March.
    2. Hagopian, Amy & Ofosu, Anthony & Fatusi, Adesegun & Biritwum, Richard & Essel, Ama & Gary Hart, L. & Watts, Carolyn, 2005. "The flight of physicians from West Africa: Views of African physicians and implications for policy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 61(8), pages 1750-1760, October.
    3. Brown, Richard P. C. & Connell, John, 2004. "The migration of doctors and nurses from South Pacific Island Nations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(11), pages 2193-2210, June.
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    1. Masselink, Leah E. & Lee, Shoou-Yih Daniel, 2010. "Nurses, Inc.: Expansion and commercialization of nursing education in the Philippines," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(1), pages 166-172, July.
    2. Lena Dohlman & Matthew DiMeglio & Jihane Hajj & Krzysztof Laudanski, 2019. "Global Brain Drain: How Can the Maslow Theory of Motivation Improve Our Understanding of Physician Migration?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Connell, John, 2014. "The two cultures of health worker migration: A Pacific perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 73-81.
    4. Hussey, Peter S., 2007. "International migration patterns of physicians to the United States: A cross-national panel analysis," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(2-3), pages 298-307, December.
    5. Blacklock, C. & Ward, A.M. & Heneghan, C. & Thompson, M., 2014. "Exploring the migration decisions of health workers and trainees from Africa: A meta-ethnographic synthesis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 99-106.
    6. Evgenia Anastasiou & Georgia Anagnostou & George Theodossiou & Vasileios Papamargaritis, 2020. "Physicians' Brain Drain: Investigating the Determinants to Emigrate Through Empirical Evidence," International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR), International Hellenic University (IHU), Kavala Campus, Greece (formerly Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology - EMaTTech), vol. 13(2), pages 83-92, September.

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