Globalization and Cultural Diversity

Abstract

This article aims to identify the impact of Romania’s accession to the European Union on medical
emigration, analyzing the evolution of the phenomenon before and after 2007. Prior work in this field
consists in theoretical and qualitative studies, highlighting the push and pull factors contributing to the
emigration of Romanian physicians, the impact and the possible measures. Emigration trends before
integration are analyzed using a data set existing in the literature. For the following period, between 2007 and
2010, the data set was filled by collecting statistics on the medical doctors trained in Romania and practicing
abroad from the destination countries. The results confirm the concern rose about the massive emigration of
medical doctors following the integration, compared to the previous period: between 2007 and 2010,
Romania lost 8131 physicians. This study has major implications for academics with interest in modeling the
effects of medical brain drain on economic development. Also it is a valuable instrument for policy makers,
offering an overview of the magnitude of this phenomenon, helpful in adopting the right policy measures. The
article offers a unique data set on the emigration of physicians, constituting a starting point in the attempt of
implementing a monitoring system.