Oncology Medical Training and Practice: Managing Jordan’s Brain Drain Through Brain Train—The King Hussein Cancer Center Experience

PURPOSE: The medical education system in Jordan is one of the most advanced education systems in the Middle East. Yet many medical school graduates leave the country to seek specialty and subspecialty education and training abroad, and the majority of graduates continue their careers there. METHODS: We explored reasons behind this so-called “brain drain” and how to slow it, along with capacity building opportunities and strategies for better local training. RESULTS: By taking advantage of various international collaborative opportunities, the King Hussein Cancer Center has managed to offer strong local training programs and an enhanced working environment, which has enabled us to improve the educational level of our graduates so they can help staff the Center, the country, and the region. CONCLUSION: Strong local training programs coupled with international partnerships can result in better training for physicians and offset the problem of brain drain without putting any restraints on the graduates.