How can we help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan? A comparison in medical students’ attitudes toward general practice and clinical research of a medical school in Japan and in Sweden

Masahiro HIROSE; Takashi WATARI; Rie SATO; Patrik MIDLÖV; Masanobu OKAYAMA; Hiroo YOSHIKAWA; Yuichi IMANAKA

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How can we help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan? A comparison in medical students’ attitudes toward general practice and clinical research of a medical school in Japan and in Sweden

VernacularTitle:How can we help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan? A comparison in medical students’ attitudes toward general practice and clinical research of a medical school in Japan and in Sweden
Author: Masahiro HIROSE ¹ ; Takashi WATARI ² ; Rie SATO ³ ; Patrik MIDLÖV ⁴ ; Masanobu OKAYAMA ⁵ ; Hiroo YOSHIKAWA ⁶ ; Yuichi IMANAKA ¹
Author Information

1. Department of Community Medicine and Medical Education, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Japan
2. Department of General Medicine and Clinical Research, Izumo Tokushukai Hospital, Japan
3. Department of Healthcare Economics and Quality Management, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan
4. General Physician Center, Shimane University Hospital, Japan
5. Emergency Medical Center, Shimane University Hospital, Japan
6. Center for Primary Health Care Research, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, Sweden
Keywords: medical students’ attitude; general practice and clinical research; general physicians/general practitioners; rural areas; Japan; Sweden
From:Journal of Rural Medicine 2024;19(4):264-272
CountryJapan
Language:English
Abstract: Objective: In Sweden, primary healthcare centers play an important role in the performance of general practice, education, and clinical research. In Japan, general physicians or general practitioners are expected to be more active in the small-scale hospitals and clinics in rural areas. This study aimed to explore the differences in attitudes toward general practice and clinical research among medical students in Japan and Sweden to present solutions to help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two medical schools in Japan and Sweden in 2018, using an anonymous and self-administered questionnaire survey that comprised 16 items including 9 items on clinical research.Results: Participants were 154 medical students (response rate: 69.4% for 222 students) in Japan and 56 (27.1% for 201 students) in Sweden. The proportion of medical students who wanted to become general physicians was greater in Japan than in Sweden (Japan:Sweden=36.4%:17.9%; P=0.012). Although fewer Japanese students wanted to conduct research in rural areas than Swedish students (43.5%:57.1%; P<0.001), the positive proportion of Japanese students working in clinical research and/or taking an academic degree in rural areas was greater than that of Swedish students (52.0%:23.2%; P=0.032).Conclusion: As Swedish medical students and young doctors learn considerably from primary healthcare centers, their attitudes toward clinical research are more developed than those of their Japanese counterparts. However, more Japanese medical students than Swedish students wish to become general practitioners, and they are likely to strive to conduct clinical research at small-scale hospitals/clinics in rural areas. Therefore, the improvement of the clinical research environment in small-scale hospitals and clinics in rural areas is needed at the earliest in Japan.