¹Universität Bielefeld, Fakultät für Gesundheitswissenschaften, Bielefeld, Germany
²Universität Bielefeld, Medizinische Fakultät OWL, Bielefeld, Germany

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Background and objectives: Healthcare workforce migration affects both source and destination countries [1]. While research has focused on practicing professionals [2], little is known about how medical students develop migration intentions. This study explores the motivations, barriers, and pathways of Colombian medical students, providing insights into workforce sustainability and ethical recruitment.

These findings are also relevant for medical education in Germany. Many students migrate due to better and more affordable training opportunities, highlighting the need for curricula that address migration and cultural competence—both to support incoming professionals and to prepare German-trained physicians for diverse healthcare settings.

Methods: A qualitative study was initiated in February 2025. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Colombian medical students, recruited through gatekeepers, snowball sampling, and academic networks. Thematic analysis was applied. As the study is ongoing, preliminary results are presented.

Results: Participants cited career opportunities, financial stability, and access to high-quality, lower-cost medical education as key motivations. Many saw foreign healthcare systems and training options as superior to local alternatives. Family ties also played a role. However, major barriers included language proficiency, degree recognition, licensing procedures, and cultural adaptation.

Limited awareness of structured recruitment programs led many students to pursue independent migration, requiring significant personal effort. Government-sponsored programs were perceived as more reliable, while private pathways were often seen as costly and uncertain.

Discussion: Findings highlight the complexity of migration decision-making and its impact on healthcare workforce sustainability. While migration provides career advantages, it also raises concerns about healthcare stability in source countries. Ethical recruitment and structured support are key.

These insights also apply to Germany’s medical education system, as it is seen as an attractive destination due to structured training, affordability, and clear licensing pathways. However, migration is not only about professionals leaving their home countries – German medical curricula should better integrate migration topics and cultural competence to prepare students for working in increasingly diverse healthcare environments.

References

[1] Sax dos Santos Gomes L, Efendi F, Putri NK, Bolivar‐Vargas M, Saadeh R, Villarreal PA, Aye TT, De Allegri M, Lohmann J. The impact of international health worker migration and recruitment on health systems in source countries: Stakeholder perspectives from Colombia, Indonesia, and Jordan. Int J Health Plann Manage. 2024;39(3):653-670. DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3776
[2] Astor A, Akhtar T, Matallana MA, Muthuswamy V, Olowu FA, Tallo V, Lie RK. Physician migration: Views from professionals in Colombia, Nigeria, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. Soc Sci Med. 2005;61(12):2492-2500. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2005.05.003