title: [Comparison of British and French expatriate doctors' characteristics and motivations].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Migration of medical practitioners is rarely studied despite its importance in medical demography: the objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics and motivations of the French doctors settled in the United Kingdom and of the British doctors settled in France.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-completed questionnaire sent to all French doctors practicing in the United Kingdom (in 2005) and all British medicine doctors practicing in France (in 2009). The doctors were identified with official data from the National Medical Councils: 244 French doctors practicing in the United Kingdom and 86 British doctors practicing in France. The questionnaire was specifically developed to determine the reasons of moving to the other country, and the level of satisfaction after expatriation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 98 French doctors (out of 244) and 40 British doctors (out of 86) returned the questionnaire. Respondents were mainly general practitioners with a professional experience of 8 to 9 years. The sex ratio was near 1 for both groups with a majority of women among physicians under 50 years. The motivations were different between groups: French doctors were attracted by the conditions offered at the National Health Service, whereas British doctors were more interested in opportunities for career advancement, joining husband or wife, or favourable environmental conditions. Overall, the respondents considered expatriation as satisfactory: 84% of French doctors, compared with only 58% of British doctors, were satisfied with their new professional situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study, the first in its kind, leads to a clearer understanding of the migration of doctors between France and the United Kingdom.
authors.affiliation: Service de biostatistique et informatique médicale, CHU de Dijon, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon cedex, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine, université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carnet
authors.affiliation: Service de biostatistique et informatique médicale, CHU de Dijon, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon cedex, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Athis
authors.affiliation: Service de biostatistique et informatique médicale, CHU de Dijon, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon cedex, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fiet
authors.affiliation: Conseil national de l'ordre des médecins, 75000 Paris, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Breton
authors.affiliation: Conseil national de l'ordre des médecins, 75000 Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Romestaing
authors.affiliation: Service de biostatistique et informatique médicale, CHU de Dijon, BP 77908, 21079 Dijon cedex, France; Inserm U 866, université de Bourgogne, 21000 Dijon, France. Electronic address: catherine.quantin@chu-dijon.fr.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Quantin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: France; Great Britain; Health system; Medical emigration; Migration internationale; Recruiting; Recrutement; Royaume-Uni; Système de santé