The Migration of Greek Physicians to Germany : Motivations , Factors and the Role of National Health Sectors
European Policy Analysis - Volume 2 , Number 2 - Winter 2016
The Migration of Greek Physicians to Germany : Motivations , Factors and the Role of National Health Sectors
Andreas Gkolfinopoulos A
Even before the outbreak of the Eurozone crisis , a migration trend of Greek physicians into the German health system was well underway . With particular focus on Greek physicians who are practicing medical specialization training , this article investigates the subjective motivations for their decision to emigrate with the help of six semi-structured qualitative interviews . This article also intends to explain this migration case by considering the role played by the political framework according to an institutional approach , based on the approach of Robyn Iredale and the research findings of Kirsten Hoesch . This is mainly achieved by comparing the German and Greek health sectors , focusing on the key actors in control of the structure ’ s development . Finally , this article aims to demonstrate that the subjective motivations of the interviewees are related to employment considerations and conditions in Greece and Germany , as consequences pertaining to the structures of both health systems and the relevant political framework - the main actors of the health sectors , the state in Greece , as well as the physicians ’ associations in Germany .
Keywords : Greek health sector , German health sector , financial crisis , physicians ’ migration , push and pull factors
Introduction
Undoubtedly , the multidimensional effects of the financial crisis , which have been weighing upon Greece at least since 2009 , affect the country at the social , political , and economical levels . Focusing on the effects of the crisis at a social level , one must note the remarkable emigration trend among young people aged 25-39 , which reached 223,000 emigrants in the years 2008-13 ( Bank of Greece 2016 , 74 ). One can be certain that a large number of highly skilled people left the country along with this population mass ( Triandafyllidou and Gropas 2014 ; Lamprianidis 2015 ; Gkolfinopoulos 2016 ), though the number cannot be properly assessed due to lack of statistical data . Lamprianidis estimates the number of highly skilled Greek employees abroad at about 190,000 ( 2015 ). However , not every highly skilled person faces the same conditions in the labor market . It is clear , as the results of the Political Economy of Migration in an Integrating Europe ( PEMINT ) project demonstrate , that each vocational sector presents different circumstances for a case of highly
A
University of Siegen , Germany
136 doi : 10.18278 / epa . 2.2.8