RESEARCH ARTICLE
Factors Influencing Lebanese Medical Students' Decisions to Train Abroad: Evaluation of a Conceptual Framework
Elie A. Akl1, 2, 3, *, Nancy Maroun4, Carl K. Li3, Brydon J.B. Grant1, 3, Holger J. Schunemann2, 5
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2012Volume: 5
First Page: 19
Last Page: 27
Publisher ID: TOPHJ-5-19
DOI: 10.2174/1874944501205010019
Article History:
Received Date: 04/04/2012Revision Received Date: 09/05/2012
Acceptance Date: 11/05/2012
Electronic publication date: 8/6/2012
Collection year: 2012
open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Objective:
To evaluate a conceptual framework portraying the factors underlying the intentions of medical stu-dents to train abroad.
Methods:
Eligible subjects were students in the pre-final and final years of medical studies in Lebanon. A survey ques-tionnaire based on the conceptual framework inquired about demographic and educational characteristics, influencing fac-tors, and intentions to train abroad. We assessed each of the factors for its frequency, distribution, and association with the intention to train abroad.
Results:
Of 576 eligible students, 425 (74%) participated. The frequency of the framework factors varied from 16% to 94% and was the highest for factors related to training and professional career. The factors independently associated with the intention to train abroad related to residency training, concern with professional career and political conditions. The intention to train abroad was also associated with thinking that the general public considers doctors trained abroad as more qualified (OR=6.3; 95% CI=1.2-33.2); receiving information about abroad training from doctors trained or training abroad (OR= 9.7; 95% CI=1.7-56.6); having relatives or friends living abroad (OR=6.9; 95% CI=1.4-35.7); and witnessing resi-dents traveling to retrain abroad (OR=22.2; 95% CI=4.5-111.1).
Conclusions:
Issues related to residency training, concerns about future career, and political conditions are the main moti-vators for Lebanese medical students to train abroad. The proposed conceptual framework provides a useful tool, but re-quires further evaluation.
