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Original papers: Jessica Yakeley, Peter Shoenberg, and Austin Heady Who wants to do psychiatry?: The influence of a student psychotherapy scheme – a10-year retrospective study Psychiatr Bull 2004; 28: 208-212 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]

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A solution to the brain drain of developing countries

Dinesh Singh   (7 June 2004)

A solution to the brain drain of developing countries 7 June 2004
Dinesh Singh, Psychiatrist Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, 10033. Tel 212 3420494 Send letter to journal: Re: A solution to the brain drain of developing countries ds2211{at}columbia.edu Dinesh Singh	Yakeley et al provide some evidence of success in addressing the shortage of psychiatrists. The selection bias is noted and the true success of the program may be less impressive. However, this is a substanial effort from the developed countries to increase their output of psychiatrists rather than lure them from developing countries like South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. Bundred and Levit note that the UK increased its output from medical schools by 14 % between 1985-1994, whilst whilst the 27 countries making up the Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) increased the output from medical schools by an average of 26 % over the same period. These may be novel ways to alleviate the shortage of psychiatrists, but it does not go far enough. The developed countries have a moral obligation to make more concrete measures to stop the brain drain. References: P E Bundred and C Levitt. "Medical migration: who are the real losers?" The Lancet July 2000;356:245-248 Jessica Yakeley, Peter Shoenberg, and Austin Heady Who wants to do psychiatry?: The influence of a student psychotherapy scheme – a10-year retrospective study Psychiatr Bull 2004; 28: 208-212 Declaration of interest None