Gaining Accreditation of the World Federation for Medical Education; Training for Employment or License to Brain Drain?

Abstract

Exodus of medical graduates from low - and middle-income countries to high-income countries also known as "Brain Drain" is a growing global dilemma that has plagued the health industry particularly in poor countries for decades. The observed numbers of graduates migrating from Sub-Saharan African (SSA) origin to the United State alone during the years 2002, 2010, 2013, and 2016 were 7,830, 9,938, 11,787, and 12,846, respectively.[1] The total number of physicians resident in the same 34 SSA countries in 2013, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO),[1] [2] was 11,519. Comparing the number of doctors who migrated to those who were resident in the same year shows that the health systems in those countries have lost more than 50% of its workforce, and that must represent a very serious dilemma to those fragile health systems.[1] [2] Similar challenges are encountered in retaining other skilled healthcare workers (HCWs) including nursing staff and health technologists in most low- and middle-income countries. Although the current efforts by accrediting bodies in most countries to acquire recognition by World Federation of Medical Education is a welcome step and will raise the standards of medical education all over the world, however, there are concerns regarding how will it impact the rates of migration of healthcare workforce over the coming decades.[3]