Research on Issues Preventing Japanese Global Health Personnel from Working at International Organizations / 国際保健医療

Objective  There is a growing need to develop human resources with diverse experience, expertise, and a global perspective who can contribute to global rule-making in health. One of the government’s goals is to increase the number of Japanese personnel working for international organizations, but it has not reached the desired level. This study identified the barriers that medical and non-medical professionals have when applying for or working at international organizations, as well as the support measures they expect from the government, to highlight issues and examine employment support measures.Methods  A qualitative and descriptive research was conducted based on semi-structured interviews with 20 physicians, nursing professionals, graduates of public health graduate schools, non-medical professionals, students, etc., who were (1) seeking employment with international organizations, (2) currently employed, and (3) previously employed but left.Results  The following seven themes were highlighted as barriers to applying for or working at an international organization: 〈issues specific to Japanese society and people〉, 〈concerns about a career in global health〉, 〈discrepancy between a career as a healthcare professional and a career in global health〉, 〈need to strengthen skills〉, 〈preparation for competitive examinations〉, 〈importance of WLB〉, 〈issues inherent in international organizations〉. Conclusion  Possible support measures include individual career counseling, seminars on how to survive in international organizations, and seminars for female applicants of child-rearing age, based on the knowledge and experience of current/former employees of international organizations. As for the issues that hinder the dispatch of medical personnel overseas, the first step would be to compare and verify the positive effects that strengthening the overseas dispatch would have on their skills, the workplace environment, and the acceptance of foreign patients. The development and introduction of systems, such as sabbatical and long-term leave, and reinstatement of employment is especially required of global companies and international hospitals.

Are there opportunities for women as head coaches in Brazil's national teams? The case of handball

Abstract Aim: This study aims to analyze the perceptions of women who hold leadership positions in sports on female participation as the head coach of the Brazilian women's handball national team. Method: We offer a qualitative case study. The collected data was through in-depth elite interviews. The interviewees' responses were analyzed and interpreted using the construction of categories. Results: The finds show perceptions of the categorization process. Three main categories emerged: 1) Prejudice. The interviewees affirm that the prejudice within the sport has been decreasing over the years. But it remains latent and continues to make difficult the continuity and rise of women in sports. 2) Professional and personal life. The interviewees affirm that Brazil is still a macho country, and even at a lower level, prejudice still exists in the universe of sports. The sport is known as a territory where men produce and demonstrate their masculinity; this favors the perception that coaches are usually men, having specific questions about the women's competence in that position, and that only men would be able to run teams. 3) Competence. The conciliation between family and professional life is a delicate situation, promotes conflicts, and does not favor the rise of women in positions of command. Nevertheless, the difficulty of reconciling personal and professional life, especially in high-performance sports, is necessary to leave home for extended periods for training or competition. Conclusion: The prejudice still is present despite its reduction over the years. The men domain the sports career, and for women, it is necessary to face the glass ceiling and prove their capacity constantly. Women's access to head coach teams, such as the Brazilian adult women's handball national team, is still a significant challenge.

A qualitative study on leadership experiences of women doctors in Korea

This study was designed to explore women doctors' leadership experiences and to identify mechanisms of leadership development based on their experiences. Between November 1 and December 18, 2017, in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 women doctors whose professional roles included being the dean of a college of medicine, director of a university hospital system, director of a government institution, and member of the National Assembly. Twelve meaningful experiences were discovered, and 10 mechanisms and several action steps for developing women doctors' leadership were drawn from the interviews. Firstly, women doctors' leadership experiences can be divided into 4 periods: experiences before entering medical school, time during medical school, the training process, and experiences after completing board certification as a clinical specialist or PhD candidate. These periods were respectively designated as an unaffected leap, temporary break, involuntary interruption, and voluntary leap forward. Secondly, based on these results, 10 mechanisms for leadership development were identified. These included an intimate relationship with one's father, curiosity and concerns about various themes, accepting opportunities that arise, work-life balance from an individual perspective, promotion of social concerns regarding the under-representation of medical leaders, removal of traditional stereotypes about women doctors, remedies for invisible discrimination (glass ceiling) from a social perspective, as well as the provision of equal leadership experience and opportunities, the promotion of active mentoring, and the extension of formal and informal networks from an educational perspective. Currently, 25% of doctors are women, and they are not a token group any more. In order to resolve women's under-representation in medical leadership, practical and concrete efforts in individual, social, and educational domains, which are appropriate and adaptable to Korean culture, are needed.