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

Abstract

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.