Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Heidi Crocker

Abstract

For more than 44 years, the study site university and the Government of Grenada, a low- and middle-income country island, have collaborated to provide medical education scholarships for qualified citizens. These scholarships aim to provide an education pathway to medical school and a solution to the island’s physician shortage by having the scholarship recipients return to serve their country as physicians. However, the problem of a physician shortage persists because most recipients migrate to higher income countries, primarily the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of scholarship recipients and providers regarding how the medical education scholarships could influence the physician shortage problem. The theory of planned behavior was used to guide the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 scholarship recipients and providers who represented university and government administration. Findings from thematic analysis indicated three main themes: scholarship first impressions, managing scholarship expectations, and scholarship culture. Although scholarships were appreciated by recipients, the lack of structure and support and the lure of the United States for physicians prevented the study site from benefiting. Findings indicated that a review of the scholarship processes could be useful and that a collaborative investment is needed to bring about a change in scholarship culture, which could positively influence physician shortages in the area.

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