Locally Trained, Still Foreign: Exploring Belonging and Equity Among Postgraduate International Medical Residents in Türkiye

Objective: This study aims to examine the academic, social, and financial experiences of international medical residents who received their undergraduate training in Türkiye and are currently enrolled in postgraduate clinical training within the country. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 91 international medical residents working in various universities and training and research hospitals across Türkiye completed an online questionnaire. The survey included demographic data and items related to three domains: academic, social, and financial experiences. Descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were conducted. Results: Participants had a mean age of 30.4 ± 3.7 years; 47% were male, and 73% had received their undergraduate medical education in Turkish. A majority had also completed their medical degrees in Türkiye. Of the respondents, 67% reported advanced Turkish proficiency. The most frequently cited challenge was financial hardship (73.6%); 67% needed a secondary income, and 37% relied on family support. Furthermore, 62.6% reported experiencing differential treatment by patients, peers, or faculty. Academic challenges were significantly associated with language of instruction and type of institution (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Although it is locally trained, the international residents in Türkiye suffer severe financial setbacks and are subject to several types of discrimination in the field of clinical education. The language of instruction and the institutional environment play a far greater role in affecting their academic learning. These findings point to how the supporting mechanisms across the whole system are factors that facilitated the existence of inclusion and equity in Turek's means of medical education in postgraduate studies.