Table 6.

Facilitators and barriers to migration

	Quote	Participant
1	“I choose Germany because it is still an open labour market offering many job opportunities for doctors.”	Male resident, location 5
2	“Why specifically Germany? Because it was the only open opportunity. They need doctors.”	Male resident, location 2
3	“I think the UK is better…. The problem is the MRCP exam. I thought that the MRCP would be too difficult, it costs too much and there are so many exams to take so I chose Germany because it was easier.”	Male resident, location 5
4	“I know that the UK is much better than Germany and I knew that from the start but learning the German language was easier for me.”	Male resident, location 1
5	“I first made a trial with USLME but it was very difficult and the road was too long. So my second option was the German language.”	Male resident, location 1
6	Moderator: “You already told me that you have the first two parts of the USMLE so why didn’t you go” Participant: “Because it’s difficult to get the visa. I already applied and I booked an appointment for the clinical skills examination. But my visa was rejected twice. I applied twice but I was rejected.”	Male resident, location 5
7	“I don’t need any further exams to work as a medical doctor in Germany, there is nothing in Germany equivalent to the USMLE or MRCP. I don’t need to attend any courses for preparation. Preparation courses for USMLE or MRCP are really very difficult and time-consuming. I love the German language and it’s much easier to work in Germany than in the USA or the UK.”	Male resident, location 4
8	“Because it (Germany) is the easiest way. As a doctor all you need to learn is the German language and then you could work as a medical doctor in Germany. Other countries require accreditation of certificates and they are highly competitive.”	Male resident, location 3
9	“Why specifically Germany? It’s not specifically Germany, It’s only the fact that Germany is the easiest way out.”	Male resident, location 5
10	“Saxony is the easiest, as people say. There, there are more opportunities.”	Male resident, location 3
11	“Sure, I will start in Saxony because it is easier to get the medical license there, but I am not planning to leave as soon as I get the license. I don’t want to work in Saxony.”	Male house officer, location 1
12	“Why specifically Germany and not any other European country? Because after you have spent some time working as a medical doctor in Germany you could simply move to another European country, even to the UK. The rules have changed last year and a doctor who has been working in Germany can move to work in the UK under certain conditions. You could also migrate to Australia. So Germany gives you flexibility of moving into other countries.”	Male resident, location 5
13	“I know so many people from my study year who are already working there and I know older colleagues also.”	Male resident, location 3
14	“I depend mainly on Facebook groups as the main source for information. Doctors who are already living in Germany or who are planning to migrate create groups on Facebook to exchange knowledge and information.”	Male resident, location 2
15	“I also made some friends when I was in Germany and they helped me to find suitable accommodation and finish all the paper work needed.”	Male final year medical student, location 1
16	“I have so many friends that I helped with the application.”	Male house officer, location 1
17	“I have to read the Facebook posts about the tips and tricks regarding the required documents. The website (of the German Embassy) is so vague and unclear.”	Male resident, location 3
18	“The best thing is the experience of our colleagues. There are so many Egyptian doctors who are already working in Germany since a long time ago. So there is a big pool of experience that we can learn from.”	Male resident, location 4
19	“My uncle is a German citizen and he was always motivating me to work as a urologist just like he is. And I always wanted to be a urologist.”	Male resident, location 6
20	“People think that Germany is a paradise, and that being in Germany will automatically solve all their problems”	Female house officer, location 1
21	“I took the decision to work abroad when I was an undergraduate medical student. I talked with my colleagues, especially the older ones who have more experience…. My older colleagues … advised me to start preparing myself to work abroad.... The most important thing is to start as early as possible with the preparations for travelling. They advised us to seek any chance to leave Egypt.”	Male house officer, location 1