Sex and the Brain Drain

SEX AND THE BRAIN DRAIN ALVAN G. FORAKER, MJ)* Many serious articles have commented on" various aspects of the brain drain, but little has been said on the effects of sex on this major problem. The following is based on extensive experience with young foreign physicians [1, 2]. The effects of sex begin before the young physician leaves his home community. Suppose Juan [3], a young Latinonian physician, wishes to come to the Podunk General Hospital for residency training in omphalology [4, 5]. Juan is married to Rosita, his childhood sweetheart , and has two children. Rosita does not wish to go to the United States. She speaks little or no English and is very attached to her mother and to numerous other relatives. She is afraid of the wicked Yanquis and their strange, distant, overpowering country. With reluctance Rosita accompanies Juan and their two children to Podunk. Because of her home responsibilities and her poor English, she rarely goes out without Juan. She is unable to shop properly unless Juan or some other Latinonian physician's wife accompanies her. She has little social life in Podunk unless there are other Latinonian-speaking resident's wives. If she becomes pregnant again, she wants to return to Latmonia to be near her mother when the baby arrives. She wishes Juan to cut short his training so they can return to Latinonia. Some young Latinonian wives make the transition. One of my young Latinonian physician friends, now back in his own country, told me it took his wife four years to become acclimated to the United States. During the first two years, she was bitterly unhappy, refused to speak English, and agitated constantly to return to Latinonia. The last two years she blossomed out, spoke English, reveled in the supermarkets , loved the television and other amenities of the United States, and protested when Juan finished his training so that they returned to Latinonia. * Address: 800 Prudential Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32207. 112 I Alvan G. Foraker · Sex and the Brain Drain The problem which confronts the young' single physician who comes to the United States is quite different. Consider José, a handsome , virile young Latinonian physician [6], who also comes to Podunk General Hospital for an omphalology residency. José cuts quite a swath among the young ladies of the hospital and has no difficulty in arranging for adequate extracurricular activity. However, he is a sound young man, propinquity gets to work, and he becomes engaged to Suzie Belle, his chief's secretary. She is not highly educated , but she is a tall, pretty blond, the type to fascinate Latinonians. She is ecstatic, since she is engaged to marry a doctor. And so they get married. Within a year, the inevitable baby appears. They live a happy life until the end of José's residency. Then the moment of truth arrives. José would like to remain in the States, but he is a patriotic young Latinonian and knows he should return to his native country with his newly acquired knowledge . However, Suzie Belle wants to stay in the United States to be near her mother and family. She is afraid to go to Latinonia, which she feels will lack many accustomed comforts. José has been trying to teach her Latinonian, but she has acquired little fluency. She pleads with José to stay in the United States. At this point, one of three things may occur. José may accede to Suzie Belle's plea and to his own desires and remain in the United States. Although many difficulties remain for José and Suzie Belle to overcome in the States, we need consider them no further here. Perhaps José will leave Suzie Belle and her baby, having experienced the joys of married life for a few years at little cost. He suggests she get a divorce and departs for Latinonia free of responsibility. Eventually José marries his childhood sweetheart, who is Latinonian, speaks Latinonian, has the approval of his family, and is in every way a more suitable long-term wife for him than Suzie Belle. Suppose, however, that José will not abandon Suzie Belle and their child. He cannot stay in the United States. His exchange...