The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Iranian Psychiatric Trainees' and Early Career Psychiatrists' Well-being, Work Conditions, and Education.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran. METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, the authors used a 24-item questionnaire inquiring about the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, their views on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their professional careers, methods of education, workplace environment, well-being and mental health, and the use of telepsychiatry in Iran. RESULTS: A total of 159 responses were received. The majority (n=124, 78.0%) reported that "some but not all obligatory activities have been converted to online activities." Most of the participants (n=103, 64.8%) stated that the pandemic had not affected the duration of their training. Less than half (n=61, 38.4%) reported that their well-being had been affected rather negatively. Some (n=59, 37.1%) reported that their supervisors or coworkers had no significant impact on their well-being, whereas others (n=53, 33.3%) reported a rather positive impact. Almost half of the participants (n=78, 49.0%) did not have access to free psychological counseling. In addition, more than half (n=89, 56.0%) reported that there were no recommendations on how to proceed with telepsychiatry. CONCLUSIONS: This study calls for improvements in the education and well-being of psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional research should be carried out to maximize learning, provide mental health care, and use telepsychiatry.

Attitude towards migration of psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Migration of medical professionals has been rapidly increasing in the past decades and it strongly affects origin and destination countries. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore the extent and the reasons of migration among psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran. METHODS: Our semi-structured 61-items questionnaire inquired participants' demographics, experiences of short-term mobility (from 3 months to 1 year), long-term migration (more than 1 year) and attitudes towards migration (current and future plans). RESULTS: A total of 184 responses were received. Most (73.4 %) participants were female, and within the age range of 25-65 (Mean: 34.9). Only 15.2 % had a short-term mobility experience, mostly due to academic reasons (35.7 %). Most (75 %) stated that this short-term mobility experience influenced them in favor of migration. The majority (83.7 %) had 'ever' considered leaving Iran, and more than half (57.3 %) stated they 'strongly agree' or 'agree' to leaving the country 'now' (at the time of the study). The main reason to migrate from Iran was first political, followed by work, financial, social, religious, academic, and cultural reasons, and the least ranked were personal reasons. In relation to their 5-year plans, 67.3 % saw themselves in the country they currently live in, Iran. The main features reported for an attractive job were 'pleasant work environment' (97.3 %), 'good welfare and social security' (96.7 %) and 'high salary '(96.2 %). CONCLUSIONS: This study calls for more support of psychiatric trainees and early career psychiatrists in Iran. Improvements in the political context, work conditions and finances might lower the rate of migratory intention and brain drain.