Neither home nor away
Leaving your home country to pursue undergraduate medical training is worth it. But you might end up living between two worlds and not feeling fully integrated in either, say Elena Karampini and colleagues
- By: Elena Karampini, Carolina Oyekanmi Brugat, Theodora Vatopoulou
What does “homegrown doctor” mean to you? The chances are that you will think of a British born, British trained medical professional. Think again. About 7.5% of medical students entering UK universities are not normally resident in this country.1 They are students from all over the world who opt for a medical education in the United Kingdom and represent a peculiar minority in the British medical workforce.
As foreign students, most of us lose count of the number of times we are asked, “So what made you come from sunny home to Britain?” Was it the perceived higher quality of British medical training compared to what we would receive in our home countries? Was it the chance to experience something different, even if it meant spending a considerable time abroad, away from family and friends, sun and idyllic beaches? Or was it all down to personal circumstances? The answer is