Push and Pull Factors of Why Medical Students Want to Leave Türkiye: A Countrywide Multicenter Study
Citation
an Eser, Elif Cil, Nesibe Efruz Sen Gundogan, Meltem Col, Elif Nur Yildirim Ozturk, David Terence Thomas, Ahmet Tevfik Sunter, Hatice Nilden Arslan, Riza Citil, Yalcin Onder, Metin Picakciefe, Bahadir Dede, Can Demirel, Neriman Aydin, Cigdem Caglayan, Ahmet Alp Aker, Arda Borlu, Hasan Durmus, Gunay Can, Esin Siddikoglu, Ergun Haldun Sumer, Tunahan Uygun, Seval Alkoy, Kubra Aktas Aycan, İbrahim Koruk, Rustem Kuzan, Lutfi Saltuk Demir, Esra Hacilar, Hidir Sari, Zehra Kilinc, Ozgur Onal, Edanur Dogan, Mestan Emek, Rıdvan Terzioglu, Gulcin Yapici, Deniz Erdal, Sultan Eser, Emine Ayhan Akman, Zahide Kosan, Sinan Yilmaz, Ferruh Niyazi Ayoglu, Bilgehan Acikgoz, Berna Musal, Ahmet Furkan Suner, Aysegul Erdogan, İdris Cilburunoglu, Meral Saygun, Didem Daymaz, Didem Arslantas, Muhammed Fatih Onsuz, Nazim Ercument Beyhun, Medine Gozde Ustundag, Galip Ekuklu, Fulya Ozder Tas, Filiz Abacigil, Selcen Oncu, Seyhan Hıdıroğlu, Ayse Nilufer Ozaydin, Edibe Pirincci, Irem Bulut, Mustafa Tozun, Muzaffer Eskiocak, Pinar Gunel, Sebahat Dilek Torun, Melike Yavuz, Metin Hasde, Derya Camur, Gulsen Gunes, Burak Kurt, Nuket Guler Baysoy, Nadi Bakirci, Figen Demir, Binali Catak, Ferda Ozyurda & Mustafa Turan (2023): Push and Pull Factors of Why Medical Students Want to Leave Türkiye: A Countrywide Multicenter Study, Teaching and Learning in Medicine, DOI: 10.1080/10401334.2023.2229810Abstract
Phenomenon: Physician immigration from other countries is increasing as developed countries continue to be desirable destinations for physicians; however, the determinants of Turkish physicians’ migration decisions are still unclear. Despite its wide coverage in the media and among physicians in Türkiye, and being the subject of much debate, there is insufficient data to justify this attention. With this study, we aimed to investigate the tendency of senior medical students in Türkiye to pursue their professional careers abroad and its related factors. Approach: This cross-sectional study involved 9881 senior medical students from 39 different medical schools in Türkiye in 2022. Besides participants’ migration decision, we evaluated the push and pull factors related to working, social environment and lifestyle in Türkiye and abroad, medical school education inadequacy, and personal insufficiencies, as well as the socioeconomic variables that may affect the decision to migrate abroad. The analyses were carried out with a participation rate of at least 50%. Findings: Of the medical students, 70.7% had emigration intentions. Approximately 60% of those want to stay abroad permanently, and 61.5% of them took initiatives such as learning a foreign language abroad (54.5%) and taking relevant exams (18.9%). Those who wanted to work in the field of Research & Development were 1.37 (95% CI: 1.22–1.54) times more likely to emigrate. The push factor that was related to emigration intention was the “working conditions in the country” (OR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.56–2.28) whereas the “social environment/lifestyle abroad” was the mere pull factor for the tendency of emigration (OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.45–2.06). In addition, the quality problem in medical schools also had a significant impact on students’ decisions (OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.83–2.65). Insights: Although the percentage of those who want to emigrate “definitely” was at the same level as in the other developing countries, the tendency to migrate “permanently” was higher in Türkiye. Improving working conditions in the country and increasing the quality of medical faculties seem vital in preventing the migration of physicians
