Survey on female physicians' life events and career support / 医学教育

<p>Introduction: In Japan, the number of female physicians is increasing rapidly. The importance of education focused on career development and the work-life balance is increasingly being recognized.</p><p>Methods: In February 2008, we sent a questionnaire regarding the working status and life events to 1,374 female physicians who graduated from Okayama University Medical School or who were working at university-affiliated hospitals and facilities at the time of the investigation.</p><p>Results: Of the 376 respondents (26.8% response rate), we analyzed 360 respondents whose specialty is clinical medicine. Among them, 75.9% (n=269) of female physicians have partners, 70.2% (n=233) have children, and most of the female physicians experience these life events from age of 25-29 years. Although 82.1% (n=216) regarded the timing of their marriage as appropriate, 65.2% (n=144) regarded it as appropriate about having first child. Of the 174 respondents who returned to clinical work, 32.2% (n=56) returned to the same position as a full-time worker, and 27.6% (n=48) changed their position from full-time to part-time. Important factors to return to work easily, 〈understanding from their supervisors〉, 〈support from their family〉, and an appropriate amount of work were the top three reasons.</p><p></p><p>Discussion: It is important to educate medical students about career development based on the life stage and work-life balance for gender equality in medicine.</p>

Report of Symposium “To prevent the quitting a job of the female physicians : from a viewpoint of labor circumstances maintenance and the career formation” / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

Female physicians in Japan face many difficulties in maintaining their careers.. According to a report, nearly 70% of female physicians prematurely cease to work, with the main contributing factors to this labor shortage being childbirth and child-rearing. In light of this, we sponsored a symposium to consider strategies to help maintain female physicians in the workforce. Four panelists discussed the essential points to consider when introducing preventive measures against female physicians leaving their jobs, what those in and around the workplace could do, and the nature of support required from administration and academic societies. It was felt that academic societies and administrations must implement and support work systems which allow for various ways of working in the medical field. Academic society committees will play an important role in assessing the needs of female physicians in order to promote the establishment and support of such work systems.<br>-Report of a symposium held as part of the 4th Academy meeting of the Japan Primary Care Association, 18th May, 2013 at Sendai International Center.

Survey of female physicians about leaving a full-time joband returning to work / 医学教育

Introduction: In Japan, the number of female physicians is increasing rapidly. Therefore, surveying female physicians about their current working status, especially about their continuing to work, is important.<br>Methods: In September 2009, we sent a questionnaire regarding working status to 1403 female physicians who had graduated from Okayama University Medical School or who were working at university-affiliated hospitals or facilities at the time of investigation.<br>Results: Of the 420 female physicians who responded （response rate, 29.9％）, 46.6％ （n＝191） had left their jobs at some time, and 92.4％ （n＝171） of them had done so within 10 years after medical school graduation. The most common reason for leaving their jobs was childbirth／childcare, and the second most common was their husband’s job transfer. Of those who had ever left their job, 82％ （n＝151） wished to return to work at the time of their leaving. Only 27.2％ （n＝74） took childcare leave.<br>Discussion: Female physicians have trouble continuing their clinical work and developing their careers while caring for children. A system should be developed to support physicians who wish to continue their clinical work during life events, such as childcare. In particular, career support during the first 10 years after graduation from medical school is extremely important.

Relationship between interest in a medical career and intention to continue working after marriage in women medical students / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

<b>Introduction</b> : While the number of women physicians is increasing in Japan, there is a tendency for these physicians to leave the workforce during their child-rearing years, contributing to an overall physician shortage. In order to create effective policies to ameliorate these shortages, it is important to assess women medical students' views on their careers after marriage and the factors that lead to a low motivation for continuation of their careers..<br><b>Methods</b> : From 2010 to 2012, we conducted questionnaire surveys using visual analog scale (VAS) based and multiple choice questions on medical students at the University of Tokushima regarding these issues in women physicians. We analyzed the results of questions included in each of these three-year surveys for women medical students in the first, third and sixth year and men in their sixth year..<br><b>Results</b> : VAS results for “intention to continue career after marriage” showed shorter measurements in sixth year women (median 86.5mm, interquartile range (IQR) 64-97mm) compared to sixth year men (median 98mm, IQR 92.5-100mm) (p<0.001). Sixth year women with a VAS of 75mm or under for “intention to continue career” showed less “interest in a medical career” than those with a VAS of 80mm or greater (median 79.5mm (IQR 64.5-88.5) vs. 90.5mm (IQR 82-100)) (p=0.001). All student groups analyzed indicated that a “sense of purpose” was the most important factor in their future careers.<br><b>Conclusion</b> : Lower VAS levels for “the intention to continue career after marriage” were related to a lower level for “interest in a medical career” in women medical students, which has implications for education and guidance in the undergraduate years.

Analysis of the needs of clinicians returning to clinical practice: / 医学教育

Introduction and Methods: An immediate effect of the physician shortage is the return to clinical work by physicians who had earlier left. Therefore, the needs of returning physicians were examined by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The subjects were clinicians working in Gunma Prefecture.<br>Results: About 50% of female physicians and 25% of male physicians had left clinical practice. The reasons given for leaving were “studying abroad” for most male physicians and “pregnancy and child-rearing” for most female physicians. More than 70% of physicians who had left clinical work felt uneasy about returning. The degree of anxiety after returning did not differ significantly between male and female physicians. Problems encountered by returning physicians involved “changes in medicines,” “changes and progress in technology and medical theories,” and deterioration of their “skills and techniques.” Moreover, returning physicians felt a need for increased “practical skills training.”<br>Discussion: Our study has clarified the needs of physicians returning to clinical work. The development and adoption of a simple system that will help physicians return to clinical practice is required.

The division of labor by sex among Japanese physicians / 医学教育

1）To evaluate the division of labor by sex among Japanese physicians, we used anonymous, voluntary questionnaires to survey the alumni of a private medical school about the time spent weekly on clinical activities and unpaid domestic work.<br>2）Although the median time spent per week on clinical activities was less for women physicians （40 hours） than for men （50 hours）, the time spent on unpaid domestic work was significantly more for women （30 hours） than for men （3 hours）.<br>3）When the time spent on both clinical activities and domestic activities was totaled, women physicians worked more hours per week than did men physicians.<br>4）Our study showed a division of labor by sex among Japanese physicians.

The effects of marriage and child–bearing on career satisfaction among female physicians / 医学教育

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.

Comparison of turnover issues among female physicians by generation / 医学教育

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.

The Present Situation of Female Doctors in Japan. Analysis of a Questionnaire / 医学教育

To provide material for a panel discussion entitled “The Image of the Female Physician Desired in the 21st Century” at the 28th Congress of the Japan Society for Medical Education, a survey was conducted on the present circumstances of female physicians practicing in Japan. The questionnaires were sent by mail to all 27, 779 female physicians residing in Japan who could be contacted. The rate of response was 29.5%. The results showed that more than 94% of female physicians currently work at institutions for medical services and that only 3.1% engage in works of basic medical research or work as public health administrators. The results also showed the necessity of providing better systems for the support of family life of female doctors to maintain their activities as precious human resources of society.