Physician migration to and from Canada: the challenge of finding the ethical and political balance between the individual's right to mobility and recruitment to underserved communities.

Physician migration to and from countries results from many local causes and international influences. These factors operate in the context of an increasingly globalized economy. From an ethical point of view, selective and targeted "raiding" of developing countries' medical workforce by wealthier countries is not acceptable. However, within specific countries, additional factors need to be identified to moderate the situation. I discuss the context in which Canada, a developed country, has struggled with workforce planning, with troubling results. I identify challenges for Canada but emphasize that decisions based on sloppy assumptions or inadequate data can lead to invalid policies, and poorly coordinated implementation can lead to a waste of human capital. Myths and attitudes further complicate physician workforce planning. Implementing recommendations of the recently concluded Task Force on the Licensure of International Medical Graduates will hopefully ameliorate the situation.