Retention and turnover intention of foreign-trained physicians (FTPs): A scoping review

In many high-income countries, there is a regional or indication-specific shortage of physicians. One way to alleviate these shortages is to recruit physicians from abroad. However, the high turnover rate of foreign-trained physicians (FTPs) makes it difficult to maintain stable medical care. The purpose of this scoping review was to analyze recent studies on turnover intentions and retention in order to, first, understand how they are assessed and, second, to identify the parameters that contribute to reducing turnover and improving the retention of FTPs.

A total of six articles were included, and a thematic analysis was conducted. The literature search was limited to English-language articles from bibliographic databases related to public health and health services research (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO) between 2010 and 2022.

The topis identified were: (1) the quality of working relationships, (2) the quality of the work environment, (3) personal life and migration issues, (4) employment-related issues, and (5) career and training opportunities. Three approaches were considered in examining the retention and turnover intentions of FTPs: satisfaction, motivation for migration, and professional integration. Underrepresented fields are discrimination and social integration.

The processes of turnover intention and retention are still poorly understood. Standardizing definitions and certain parts of the methodology would help researchers navigate the process with more accuracy. Further studies should look at the causal relationships that can be collected in the form of qualitative data, as these are currently lacking.