Graduate perspectives on a transnational medical programme: a qualitative study of career impact

BACKGROUND: Transnational education (TNE) represents an evolutionary development in internationalisation, involving the movement of institutions or their programmes rather than student mobility. Influenced by the ambitions and strategies of sending and receiving countries, TNE offers distinct values and benefits to all stakeholders. Most previous research has focused on the successes and challenges of TNE programmes from the perspectives of programme directors, administrators, and educators, but less is known about graduates' experiences. This study explored graduates' perceptions of a UK-affiliated transnational medical programme in Egypt and its impact on their personal and professional development and careers. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study with graduates from a long-established transnational medical programme delivered under a UK university's licence in Egypt. We purposively sampled graduates to maximise variation in age, gender, nationality, professional status, current job, and country of work. We conducted semi-structured online interviews via Zoom, audio-recorded them, and transcribed the recordings. We adopted a constructivist/interpretivist approach and conducted reflexive thematic analysis, ensuring reflexivity was maintained throughout the study. RESULTS: Twenty-three graduates were interviewed for an average of 45 min; 14 were female and 9 were male, with ages ranging from 23 to 33 years. We identified six overarching and interconnected themes: (1) Personal and professional transformation through generic skills and critical thinking; (2) An integrated and well-organised curriculum delivered through case-based discussions; (3) Clinical preparedness fostered by small class sizes and early clinical exposure; (4) International career readiness supported by English language proficiency, exchange programmes, relevant examination formats, and multinationalism; (5) Supportive teaching and leadership staff from both institutions; (6) Immersive research experience. CONCLUSIONS: We explored insightful perspectives and experiences of the graduates. We found that an integrated, internationally focused curriculum, delivered and overseen by effective and supportive staff, prepares graduates to serve locally and internationally with notable resilience and confidence. These firsthand insights contribute to the limited literature on graduates' perspectives in TNE, particularly in health professions education (HPE), and offer practical, achievable recommendations for curriculum, assessment, student support, and the learning environment. Further research exploring staff and institutional viewpoints is necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding.