Medical education demands a considerable investment of time, money, and effort compared to other educational paths. Individuals graduating as doctors carry distinct societal and familial expectations related to both service and financial success. Striking a balance between these expectations proves challenging for new doctors.

In Nepal, it is not possible to swiftly achieve financial objectives through the services and wages provided to doctors. Salaries, allowances, and additional perks for medical professionals are notably more lucrative in foreign countries. The allure of foreign employment has increased significantly for Nepali doctors. This trend extends beyond MBBS graduates, with doctors, who have pursued MD, also opting to migrate abroad.

Doctors can establish a professional foothold within a few years of working abroad, while it needs a prolonged struggle to achieve similar success in Nepal. The present generation is reluctant to endure this extended period of struggle. The emerging trend shows that the new generation is opting to migrate, primarily driven by a prevailing materialistic and ambitious mindset that is challenging to fulfil with the limited income available in Nepal. Rather than being solely motivated by the difficulty of survival in Nepal, doctors are seeking a better and easier life abroad.

Currently, there is no effective means to halt the trend of doctors migrating abroad. There is a prevalent belief among young and new doctors that a better life awaits them by working overseas, and this mindset appears resistant to change. This phase is expected to persist for the next 10 years.

This impulse for migration is anticipated to naturally decrease as Nepal makes progress on economic and social development fronts. However, Nepal should implement policy reforms in areas such as economic development and social security to address the challenges posed by this trend.