International Health Professional Migration and Brain Waste: A Situation of Double-Jeopardy

Abstract

The migration of health professionals from low- and middle-income to high-income countries has received much attention amongst the global health community as an important factor influencing health care systems. There is however, much less dialogue about internationally trained health professionals who are not able to practice their professions in their countries of destination, a phenomenon labelled as “brain waste”. It has been shown that the integration of internationally trained health professionals in their country of destination is hindered due to inadequate language skills, a lack of local work experience, cultural incompetency, and barriers to the recognition of credentials from foreign academics and professionals. To maximize gains from migration of health professionals and to minimize the negative impacts, we need policies with proper guidelines for practical strategies to better integrate health professional immigrants into the workforce of destination countries. These policies and action plans should also foster healthcare system capacity building and appropriate compensation in low- and middle-income countries