We have conducted a three phase study with the purpose of evaluating the intention to migrate of legal medicine and pathology doctors in central European countries, which are EU members, and the illustration of their professional and personal profile. The first study included 150 pathology and legal medicine professionals from 10 countries, the second 55 Romanian professionals in the two specialities and the third included 301 medical students in their final year of study. We’ve assessed their motivation to migrate, their interests and desires regarding their professional and personal development. We established a hierarchy for the push and pull factors that influence one to migrate or remain in the country of origin. Although higher than the average, the salary levels of pathologists and legal medicine professionals are lower than expected and represent a very important factor when choosing a workplace. Pathologists are more prone to migrate to another country and they also believe in a higher proportion than legal medicine professionals, that they are working in an insecure environment. The majority of specialists working in the two areas consider that the quality of medical services in their field has decreased as a result of migration. Further studies on the motivation of medical professionals to migrate are needed, with the extension on other EU countries as well, in order to validate the results obtained in Romania. © 2015 Romanian Society of Legal Medicine.

Migration motivation Push and pull factors Legal medicine Pathology

professional development Romania Europe motivation human sex difference controlled study Forensic Pathology forensic medicine workplace male female questionnaire Article medical service adult personal development migration pathologist health care quality medical specialist medical student