ABSTRACT
The number of female physicians is increasing. In Japan, marriage and child–bearing have been considered barriers preventing female physicians from working continuously. This study investigated the effects of marriage and child–bearing on career satisfaction among female physicians.<br>1)We surveyed the alumni of two private medical schools (University A: n=646; University B: n=316). The response rate was 38% for University A and 71% for University B.<br>2)When the subjects were asked if they were satisfied that they had chosen a career as a physician, 85%(n=400) answered that they were satisfied.<br>3)In total, 348 female physicians (74%) were married, and of them, 280 (80%) had experienced childbirth, and 259 (77%) were married to physicians.<br>4)Factors that significantly and positively affected career satisfaction were marriage for all female physicians and child–bearing for married female physicians.<br>5)The results of this study suggest that marriage and child–bearing, rather than being obstacles to career development, have positive effects on the career satisfaction of female physicians.
ABSTRACT
1) Physicians who graduated from medical school less than 5 years earlier hoped that they could be satisfied with both their work and private life. They considered the choosing of a specialty suited to their lifestyle to be a strategy for continuing to work.Previous studies have suggested that this idea is specific to this generation.<br>2) Physicians who had graduated more than 31 years earlier had entered a medical university at a time when female students were rare; they continued to work with the belief that they must work hard so that female physicians could be seen to be actively employed. However, some of them had regrets about working continuously or child rearing.<br>3) The problems that female physicians faced concerning gender discrimination, child birth, and child rearing were common among both age groups.