Seeking Greener Pastures: Attitudes Towards Brain Drain Among Turkish Medical Students

Abstract

Background Medical brain drain is a critical issue for healthcare systems worldwide. This study investigated attitudes toward brain drain and influencing factors among medical students at Pamukkale University. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,129 students (80.8% response rate) during the 2021-2022 academic year. Data, including sociodemographics, views on studying/working abroad, and the 16-item Brain Drain Attitude Scale (BDAS), were collected via a structured online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple linear regression were used for analysis. Results Over half (52.9%) of the students desired to work abroad, motivated by better working conditions (73.7%), higher salaries (57.8%), and social living conditions (66.8%). The BDAS score (mean = 61.26) indicated a moderate tendency toward brain drain. Key factors associated with higher brain drain attitude scores included financial constraints (B = 0.389, p = 0.001), independent living (B = 0.296, p < 0.001), initial reluctance to attend medical school (B = 0.598, p < 0.001), having friends or relatives abroad (B = 0.347, p < 0.001), considering exchange programs (B = 1.004, p < 0.001), and moderate foreign language proficiency (B = 0.300, p < 0.001). Conclusion A significant portion of Turkish medical students expressed a desire to work abroad, driven primarily by better working conditions, social living conditions, higher salaries, and excessive workloads in Turkiye. Financial constraints, independent living, dissatisfaction with medical school choices, and social networks with international experiences emerged as significant factors influencing attitudes toward brain drain.