Where did the doctors go? A study of retention and migration of provisionally licensed international medical graduates practising in Newfoundland and Labrador between 1995 and 2006.
BACKGROUND
More than any other Canadian province, Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) relies on provisionally licensed international medical graduates (PLIMGs) to provide primary health care, particularly in rural communities. However, turnover among PLIMGs is high, and this is expensive and disruptive to the populations they serve.


METHODS
We developed and analyzed a database that allowed us to quantify the turnover among PLIMGs and also to determine the Canadian destinations of PLIMGs who cease practising in NL.


RESULTS
We found that about 1 in 5 PLIMGs remain in province for a period of 5 years and that those who emigrate within Canada are most likely to go to Ontario. Many PLIMGs cannot be tracked after they leave the province.


CONCLUSIONS
We speculate that many PLIMGs are moving on to the more lucrative US market.
Audas
Rick
R
Memorial University of Newfoundland, PO Box 4200, St. John's NL A1C 5S7, New Zealand.
Ryan
Ann
A
Vardy
David
D
D016208:Databases, Factual; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005550:Foreign Medical Graduates / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009523:Newfoundland and Labrador; D010820:Physicians / Q000600:supply & distribution*