The experiences of foreign doctors in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study of the challenges and retention motives

Abstract

Background The Saudi healthcare system is mainly staffed by foreign doctors who constitute about 73% of the total medical workforce. But, the high rate of turnover among these foreigners had deposited an additional unbearable cost and threatens the stability of the provided healthcare services in the country. Objectives This study was conducted to explore the professional and personal challenges that were experienced by foreign medical doctors while working in one of the major governmental tertiary-care hospitals in Riyadh city. The study also seeks to explore the factors that could influence or motivate their retention. Methods A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews was conducted on January 2018. A total of 16 foreign doctors were recruited purposefully using a maximum variation sampling strategy. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis technique. Results Three primary themes have been emerged based on the data analysis: (1) Work-related challenges such as; communication and discrimination challenges. (2) Living-related challenges such as; supportive services and restricted movement challenges. (3) Factor motivating retention such as providing good children education, offering flexible traveling regulations, and providing professional development opportunities. Conclusions The findings of this study have indicated that there are more important motivators than money for improving the retention of foreign doctors in the country. Several policy actions have been recommended to maintain their essential role. For example; implementing an ethical code to protect them from receiving deceptive hiring information, developing a specialized pocket dictionary to overcome language barriers, embracing "workforce diversity management" techniques to minimize discrimination at institutional level, and finally it is also recommended to include the foreign doctors' family needs and other living related challenges in any future retention strategies.

Inequitable treatment as perceived by international medical graduates (IMGs): a scoping review

“…Inadequate professional recognition was reported in 70% (23/33) of publications and was reported as occurring on either an interpersonal level or institutional level. This included experiences such as skill sets being under recognised or inferiorly matched to assigned work1 10 18 26 29 30 33–38 and pay or benefits not matched to experience level 10 20 26 39. Non-individualised bureaucratic responses to recognition into prior experience and qualifications were criticised in studies from UK,18 USA22 and Canada30 and Australia,26 38 40 including a federal Australian parliamentary report 1.…”

Dermatology workforce over a decade in Saudi Arabia: demographics, distributions, and future challenges

“…In addition, language is an important barrier. In a study of 16 foreign physicians, most foreign physicians without an Arabic background had language difficulties in the initial 2–3 years in the country [ 32 ]. Cultural differences between countries are also very important, since in SA, the culture differs considerably from that of other parts of the world [ 32 ].…”

“…In a study of 16 foreign physicians, most foreign physicians without an Arabic background had language difficulties in the initial 2–3 years in the country [ 32 ]. Cultural differences between countries are also very important, since in SA, the culture differs considerably from that of other parts of the world [ 32 ]. In the past 10 years, the rate of increase of Saudi physicians to non-Saudi physicians was 19.5%, while it was only 1% for Saudi dermatologists.…”

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