INTRODUCTION: The migration of young health professionals is an important issue for the European health systems. If it is only temporal or circular migration, it could be beneficial for both receiving and source countries; but in case of permanent emigration, it could be interpreted as loss of human capital and loss of investments in education and specialisation. The aim of this study is to investigate intentions for mobility of students in health sciences.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study emphasises on the qualitative research - in-depth interviews with medical students. The interviews are conducted among Bulgarian and German students in Medicine, Dental Medicine, Nursing Care, Midwifery and Healthcare Management at the Medical University of Varna.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The results from the in-depth interviews indicate that almost half of the Bulgarian students prefer to specialise and work in other European countries (Germany, UK, etc.). The preferred destinations for the German students are Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, Austria and the USA. Regardless of nuances in the replies, all of the respondents state the better payment as a reason for mobility. Most of the students share a desire to return and practise their profession in their country of origin.
CONCLUSION: The results from our study show that the motivation for migration is similar both for Bulgarian and for German students. The intentions of the students indicate high migration potential in the future. However, the results predict also increased trends towards return or circular migration.
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