Unraveling the "Greener Pastures" Concept: The Phenomenology of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists.
Roi Charles Pineda, Brenda Abad-Pinlac, Daryl Patrick G Yao and 3 others
PMID 37823550WHAT IT FOUND
Fifteen Filipino occupational therapists described migration as a complex trade-off.
While higher salaries and safety were real gains, many faced deskilling, shame from underemployment, and discrimination. The "greener pastures" ideal often clashed with the reality of restricted professional roles and cultural isolation.
Key findings
01Participants cited financial security and family obligations as primary drivers for migration, noting that overseas earnings could match years of local income.
02Many experienced deskilling and underemployment, working in non-therapy roles like caregiving or food service due to credential mismatches and registration barriers.
03Therapists reported facing discrimination and restricted professional autonomy in destination countries, with some clients refusing care based on accent or language.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 15 participants, so the findings cannot be generalized to all Filipino occupational therapists. Participants were specifically recruited because they were unemployed or underemployed, which may skew the results toward negative experiences compared to those who migrated successfully. The researchers themselves were occupational therapists, and some were migrants, which could introduce bias, although they attempted to mitigate this through reflexivity and pairing researchers.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the University of the Philippines Manila.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that migration is universally detrimental or beneficial. The sample was limited to therapists who experienced unemployment or underemployment, so the narrative may not reflect the experience of those who secured immediate, matching employment.