To, The editor, Migration of talented and educated professionals from their native country, in search of higher salaries, advanced technology, stable political conditions, and a better living, defines the term brain drain. This is not only concerned with people but is also concerned with migration of education, intellect, talent and resources as well. Currently in our country, brain drain of doctors is a rising social stigma as Pakistan ranks as 3 rd leading country for International Medical Graduates working abroad. 1 The reason may be financial, social stressors, job satisfaction and better learning opportunities but this mobility is very asymmetrical. The immigrants are usually from developing nations to countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia which are marked 1 st world and beneficiaries of large scale physician immigration over last fifty years. 2 These professional émigrés are competent, profound and skilled people, who are moreover an asset to that society, their contributions at home would have been valuable to theirhealth care and socioeconomic sectors. Further, they could be role models and a source of greatacademic inspiration. It is of great interest that the recipient countries and the migrants are not at loss, in fact the donor country is decreasing doctor-patient ratio and in short loss of resources and human capital there. 3 Although at some point there are remittances that immigrant physicians be sent home, however the stated disadvantages are not compensated by the clinical and educational link they establish or their economical support. Pakistan has a greater burden of diseases and increasing mortality, with a growing disease load of cancers, cardio vascular diseases, disabilities and an increasing rate of infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies. 4 It is indeed a socioeconomic need to identify the reasons which push towards efflux of the talented young graduates or trained professionals to the other countries at national level. Disparities in working conditions and demotivating factors should be resolved. The young graduates and students should be given some incentives, leadership and better chances to progress. The government should design policies, introduce teaching research programs and take responsibility to train, retain and sustain its youthful and important work force. Many countries intensify their efforts to attract and retain foreign students, which increases the risk of brain drain in the developing countries. In poor countries, this transfer can change the skill structure of the labor force, cause labor shortages, and affect fiscal policy.It can be a boon or a curse for developing countries. 5 Finding opportunities and seeking better choices is a basic human right. But a promising future with good learning and work environment, improvised salaries, optimism, peace and equity can certainly help to reduce and control the social malaise of the medical brain drain. REFERENCES: 1. Dodani S, LaPorte RE. Brain drain from developing countries: how can brain drain be converted into wisdom gain? JRSM. 2005;98(11):487-91 2. Mullan F.The metrics of the physician brain drain. New England Journal of Medicine.2005;353(17):1810-8 3. Chen LC, Boufford JI. Fatal flows-doctors on the move. New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;353(17):1850- 2 4. Talati JJ, Pappas G. Migration, medical education, and health care: a view from Pakistan. Academic Medicine. 2006;81(12):S55 5. The brain drain from developing countries. IZA World of Labor 2014: 31 doi: 10.15185/izawol.31 | Frédéric Docquier © | May 2014 | wol.iza.org JBUMDC 2016; 6(1): 63 Page-63 LETTER TO EDITOR Medical Brain Drain – An Increasing Social Stigma Maria Shoaib Dr. Maria Shoaib Email:[email protected] Received: 13-02-2016 Revised: 16-02-2016 Accepted: 18-02-2016
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
To,The editor,
Migration of talented and educated professionals fromtheir native country, in search of higher salaries, advancedtechnology, stable political conditions, and a betterliving, defines the term brain drain. This is not onlyconcerned with people but is also concerned withmigration of education, intellect, talent and resourcesas well. Currently in our country, brain drain of doctorsis a rising social stigma as Pakistan ranks as 3rd leadingcountry for International Medical Graduates workingabroad.1The reason may be financial, social stressors,job satisfaction and better learning opportunities butthis mobility is very asymmetrical. The immigrants areusually from developing nations to countries like USA,UK, Canada, Australia which are marked 1stworld andbeneficiaries of large scale physician immigration overlast fifty years.2
These professional émigrés are competent, profoundand skilled people, who are moreover an asset to thatsociety, their contributions at home would have beenvaluable to theirhealth care and socioeconomic sectors.Further, they could be role models and a source ofgreatacademic inspiration. It is of great interest that therecipient countries and the migrants are not at loss, infact the donor country is decreasing doctor-patient ratioand in short loss of resources and human capitalthere.3Although at some point there are remittances thatimmigrant physicians be sent home, however the stateddisadvantages are not compensated by the clinical andeducational link they establish or their economicalsupport.Pakistan has a greater burden of diseases and increasingmortality, with a growing disease load of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, disabilities and an increasing rate ofinfectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies.4It isindeed a socioeconomic need to identify the reasons
which push towards efflux of the talented younggraduates or trained professionals to the other countriesat national level. Disparities in working conditions anddemotivating factors should be resolved. The younggraduates and students should be given some incentives,leadership and better chances to progress. Thegovernment should design policies, introduce teachingresearch programs and take responsibility to train, retainand sustain its youthful and important work force.Many countries intensify their efforts to attract andretain foreign students, which increases the risk of braindrain in the developing countries. In poor countries, thistransfer can change the skill structure of the labor force,cause labor shortages, and affect fiscal policy.It can bea boon or a curse for developing countries.5Findingopportunities and seeking better choices is a basic humanright. But a promising future with good learning andwork environment, improvised salaries, optimism, peaceand equity can certainly help to reduce and control thesocial malaise of the medical brain drain.
REFERENCES:1. Dodani S, LaPorte RE. Brain drain from developing
countries: how can brain drain be converted into wisdomgain? JRSM. 2005;98(11):487-91
2. Mullan F.The metrics of the physician brain drain. NewEngland Journal of Medicine.2005;353(17):1810-8
3. Chen LC, Boufford JI. Fatal flows-doctors on the move.New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;353(17):1850-2
4. Talati JJ, Pappas G. Migration, medical education, andhealth care: a view from Pakistan. Academic Medicine.2006;81(12):S55
5. The brain drain from developing countries. IZA World ofLabor 2014: 31 doi: 10.15185/izawol.31 | FrédéricDocquier © | May 2014 | wol.iza.org
JBUMDC 2016; 6(1): 63 Page-63
LETTER TO EDITOR
Medical Brain Drain – An Increasing Social StigmaMaria Shoaib
Dr. Maria ShoaibEmail:[email protected]: 13-02-2016Revised: 16-02-2016Accepted: 18-02-2016
Related Documents
