Examines the impact of war on the migratory patterns of 787 physicians in Lebanon, a country with civil disturbances for the past 15 yrs. The database included 2 cohorts of medical graduates of the American University of Beirut: the 1960-1969 cohort, whose education and training were completed before the onset of the civil war, and the 1970-1979 cohort, which was exposed to the turmoil in Lebanon during either their study or their residency training. Between- and within-cohort comparisons of their locations 5 yrs after graduation were made. Findings suggest that there is an association between civil instability and migration. In 1974, 34% of the 1960-1969 cohort were practicing in Lebanon, while 47% were practicing in the US. In 1984, 17% of the 1970-1979 cohort were located in Lebanon, and 69% were located in the US.