Residency training or migration: a multi-centric study exploring the inclination to migrate among medical residents in Iran

Abstract

Abstract Background The migration of skilled medical professionals from low- and middle-income countries, particularly when facing a shortage of physicians, negatively affects the capacity to meet essential health and social needs. This study aimed to investigate the inclination to migrate and its associated factors from the perspective of medical residents in Iran. Methods This multi-centric cross-sectional study was conducted on the medical residents of four top-ranked medical schools across Iran. A validated questionnaire regarding the inclination to migrate and its associated factors was distributed among eligible medical residents from 17 specialized residency programs. Results A total of 254 responses were received. Findings demonstrated that 81.5% of medical residents were inclined to emigrate, while 79.5% stated that if they had the current insight about the condition of the residency programs at the time of enrollment, they would choose migration over entering the residency training. This implies that the conditions of the medical residency programs significantly impact the tendency to migrate among medical residents in Iran. However, the majority of participants had no planning to migrate. Most participants believed that the time after obtaining M.D. degree is the most appropriate time to migrate. The most common reasons for the inclination to migrate were disproportionate income compared to the workload and daily living costs, better welfare in destination countries, and unfair laws of employment and income in the health system. Conclusion An alarming percentage of medical residents in Iran are inclined to migrate. Improving the educational and professional status of the residency training programs via adjustment of the weekly shift hours and providing adequate salaries might increase the motivation of Iranian medical doctors to enter the residency program, thereby reducing their inclination to migrate.