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Malawian impressions of expatriate physicians: A qualitative study
Parehk, Natasha; Sawatsky, Adam P.; Bbata, Ihunanya; Muula, Adamson S. & Bui, Thuy
Abstract
Background
In many low-income countries, including Malawi, expatriate physicians serve diverse roles in clinical care, education, mentorship, and
research. A significant proportion of physicians from high-income countries have global health experience. Despite the well-known
benefits of global health experiences for expatriates, little is known about local physician and trainee impressions of their expatriate
counterparts. The objective of this study was to explore University of Malawi College of Medicine (COM) physicians’ and trainees’
impressions of expatriate physicians.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with COM medical students, interns, registrars, and
faculty. Through open coding, we developed a codebook that we applied to interview transcripts and used thematic analysis to identify
major themes.
Results
We interviewed 46 participants from across the continuum of medical education at two teaching hospitals in Malawi. Participants
discussed themes within the following domains: perceived benefits of expatriate physicians in Malawi, perceived challenges, past
contributions, and perceived roles that expatriate physicians should play going forward. Malawian faculty and trainees appreciated the
approachability, perspectives, and contribution to education that expatriates have provided, though at times some have been perceived
as aggressive, unable to relate to patients and trainees, deficient at adapting to the setting, and self-serving. Potential roles that Malawian
physicians and trainees feel expatriates should serve include education, training, capacity building, and facilitating exchange opportunities
for local physicians and trainees.
Conclusions
This study highlights the perceived benefits and challenges that physicians and trainees at the COM have experienced with their expatriate
counterparts, and suggests roles that expatriates should play while abroad. These findings can be used to help inform existing global
health guidelines, assist with the establishment of host institution expectations for global health programmes, and guide individual
expatriate physicians who hope to optimise their roles abroad.
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