Abstract
BackgroundDesire to attend graduate school for academic research training following the mandatory two-year clinical internship is unknown among young Japanese physicians who work at community hospitals after their internship. The aim of this study is to determine opinions and factors regarding pursuing higher education through graduate school among young physicians who work at community hospitals after their two-year internship.MethodsThis cross-sectional survey was conducted among young physicians working at community hospitals after their two-year internship. We examined the percentage of young physicians considering higher education through graduate school, the planned timing and field of enrollment among those wanting to enroll, and reasons for not continuing their education among those with no such plans. The association between desire to enroll in graduate school and background characteristics was examined using modified least-squares regression to estimate proportion difference.ResultsAmong 127 (73.2 % internal medicine specialists, median age 30 years) physicians in 33 hospitals, 71 (55.9 %) stated that they wished to enroll in graduate school. The most frequently reported timing was 7–8 years after graduation from medical school. Those who stated no desire to attend graduate school cited concerns about the quality of training or not having enough knowledge to choose an appropriate laboratory or field, among other reasons. Increased number of years since graduating medical school [adjusted proportion difference (PD) −6.0 %, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) −9.8 to −2.3 %], being a woman with children [adjusted PD −53.4 %, 95 % CI −87.3 to −19.5 % (vs. a man not having children)], and completing their two-year internship at both university and community hospitals [adjusted PD −40.3 %, 95 % CI −72.5 to −8.0 % (vs. internship only at community hospitals)] were associated with a reduction in desire to enroll in graduate school.ConclusionsWe identified a growing trend in desire among young physicians to attend graduate school. Attracting those young physicians who express no desire to attend graduate school, however, will require establishment of more flexible graduate school programs which address their concerns.
Highlights
Desire to attend graduate school for academic research training following the mandatory two-year clinical internship is unknown among young Japanese physicians who work at community hospitals after their internship
Given that few programs provide Ph.D. curricula at the undergraduate level (i.e. M.D.-Ph.D. course) among medical schools in Japan, nationwide implementation of the mandatory two-year residency system resulted in an increase in the proportion of young physician working at community hospitals
We found that many young physicians working at community hospitals wish to pursue higher education and that the most frequently reported desired timing of enrollment in graduate school was 7–8 years after graduating medical school
Summary
Desire to attend graduate school for academic research training following the mandatory two-year clinical internship is unknown among young Japanese physicians who work at community hospitals after their internship. Before the implementation of this system, the typical career path for potential physician scientists involved enrolling in graduate school immediately following graduation from medical school or completion of their residency program and earning Ph.D. through basic research [2, 3]. Given that few programs provide Ph.D. curricula at the undergraduate level (i.e. M.D.-Ph.D. course) among medical schools in Japan, nationwide implementation of the mandatory two-year residency system resulted in an increase in the proportion of young physician working at community hospitals. When and what proportion of young physicians choose to enter graduate school after completing the two-year residency program is gaining increasing importance in the education and generation of physician scientists
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