Attitudes towards migration from the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea: similar history but different psychiatric trainees?

This article aimed to describe and compare migration tendencies between junior doctors training in psychiatry in the Baltic countries. A cross-sectional survey was circulated in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in 2013–2014 as part of the Brain Drain study. The 61-item, anonymous questionnaire covered participants’ demographic data, experiences of short-term mobility, long-term migration and trainees’ attitudes towards migration. In this sample (n = 95) of psychiatric trainees in the Baltic countries, the majority were female (79.1%), training in adult psychiatry (77.9%). A vast majority (87.0%) of psychiatric trainees in the Baltic countries have ‘ever’ considered leaving the country; almost half (in Estonia) or more than a half (in Lithuania and Latvia) were considering leaving ‘now’; yet a minority took ‘practical steps’ towards migration. For all trainees in the Baltic states, personal reasons were the most important to stay in their country. Whilst regarding reasons to leave, financial was top in Lithuania, while trainees from Estonia and Latvia indicated personal reasons as key to emigrate. Several psychiatric trainees in the Baltic countries had considered migration, with many calling for improvements in their salaries. These findings call for further investigation and action to support the workforce in the Baltics.