Title:
Medical Professionals’ Migration from Turkey: Motivations, Legal Challenges, and Employment Barriers

Authors:
Zekeriya Aktürk, Birsen Bilgen Sivri, Rukiye Çelik, Kemal Çelik, Mehmet Ali Çetiner, Abdullah Mücahit Çiftçi, Mustafa Demirtürk, Umut Eryiğit, Fazilet Gültekin, Neema Kabidje, Emine Karaköse, Raphael Kunisch, Merve Kurnaz Ay, Şule Kurt, Lemye Zehirlioğlu, Antonius Schneider, Germany

Abstract:

This cross-sectional study compares the professional, economic, and social status of health professionals who left Turkey within the last 10 years before and after their resettlement. ‎

An online questionnaire was developed by the researchers. Using several social media groups of healthcare professionals, the questionnaire was shared with the target population. Additionally, snowball sampling was applied by asking the participants to distribute the study link to other acquaintant immigrants. ‎

The mean age of the 513 participants was 39.9±8.7 years. Of the participants, 79.3% were medical doctors, 9.0% were nurses/midwives, 3.1% were dentists, and 8.6% had other occupations. Around one-fifth (n=113) held some academic titles, and another one-fifth (n=115) had finished a postgraduate specialization training. The mean duration after migration was 34.8±22.9 months. When the job ranks before/after emigration were compared, 63.4% had lower-rank jobs, while 36.6% maintained a similar rank or had a higher rank; 45.2% were unemployed or taking some courses. People holding a B2 language certificate had higher probabilities (OR: 4.2) of obtaining the same or higher job rank in the immigrated country compared to Turkey.

More emphasis must be given to specialized language education to speed up the integration process of immigrant health workers from Turkey.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.51505/ijmshr.2024.8504