Migration of physicians and keys to success

Abstract

There are currently nearly 1 billion migrants, of whom 259 million are international migrants, according to the World Health Organization. In the Americas, Venezuela has the highest migratory flow in the region in recent history. By September 2019, more than 4,300,000 people of all social classes had left the country. They included more than 24,000 doctors, who were fleeing the serious political, economic, and social crises affecting that nation. Others in the exodus are a large number of university faculty. The author’s personal experience as a migrant doctor is presented, and job alternatives beyond medical practice/clinical medicine are described. The exodus of highly qualified personnel is not a new phenomenon but one that negatively affects the region or country of origin, whereas the receiving place benefits from the professionals who manage to join the workforce in their field of training. This, of course, is dependent on their complying with requirements to obtain legal residency and respective licensures, in addition to finding existing alternatives according to their expertise. To achieve this objective, they require a network of relatives, colleagues, and friends who can provide guidance on the steps to be followed; being fluent in the language of the new residence; and obtaining the necessary certifications to practice the profession either by taking the legally required examinations or by obtaining another degree from a university in the country.