Abstract
Abstract. This paper discusses the role of pull factors in the international mobility of medical doctors by comparing the experiences of two host countries. Over 27% of doctors active in Sweden have been trained abroad. Their share is increasing. In the Netherlands foreign-trained doctors make up barely 2% of the total. How can this difference be explained? The Netherlands has long aimed for self-sufficiency. Sweden educates and trains fewer doctors than it needs- not because candidates are lacking but because of a lack of places in medical school (some 25% of the foreign-trained are Swedish citizens). To provide context and to find other factors that may have played a role the paper highlights key differences between the healthcare systems of the two countries. Doctors in Sweden are typically employees. Doctors in the Netherlands are mainly self-employed. Health workforce planning in Sweden is highly decentralised and takes place within the public sector; in the Netherlands it is a more inclusive exercise that is organized at central level. In contrast to the Netherlands, few Swedes have their ‘own’ family doctor; this facilitates the acceptance of foreign-trained doctors. The re-registration requirement and strictness in the testing of language skills may also have played a role. The paper is based on official documents and other publications, in addition to interviews with practitioners and experts in the medical field in Sweden and the Netherlands