Introduction : Family medicine residency programs (PGs) have been increasing in Japan, but the Japan Primary Care Association (JPCA) does not publicly provide employment information. We conducted a complete survey on PGs, and elucidated the actual online provision of information required to assess risk factors influencing career development.
Methods : We conducted an online investigation in January 2013 of the JPCA-certified PGs updated as of December 18, 2012, regarding the main facility type, benefits, terms of employment, and the type of employment by the duration of the contract.
Results : There were 160 PGs in total. Those affiliated with universities were excluded and the remaining 129 PGs were analyzed. No salary/wage information was provided by 40 PGs (31.0%). Full-time employment was indicated by 64 PGs (49.6%), of which 6 had fixed-term employment. Only 11 PGs (8.5%) were confirmed to offer indefinite-term employment.
Conclusion : From the information provided online, it was difficult to identify the type of employment by the duration of the contract. Currently, JPCA does not impose regulations on the terms of employment to be posted. Therefore, it would be desirable for the JPCA to take the initiative in collecting and disclosing accurate and adequate information.

Introduction : Municipal government scholarships for the purpose of support of rural health & medically underserved areas has increased, but repayment exemption conditions of the scholarships vary. We conducted a survey of scholarships to clarify their impact on physician careers.
Methods : A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from November 2013 to January 2014 among municipal governments administering scholarships associated with selective medical school admissions for medically underserved areas in 2013.
Results : There were 59 scholarships administered by 42 municipal governments connected with 53 universities. The mode of the total loan amount was 14.4 million yen. Features of the loan agreements were a high repayment interest rate (over 10%) in 70% of the scholarships and a requirement for lump-sum repayment in 41 scholarships. Three programs allowed free choice of residency training for 3 years or more during the obligatory term, while 48 programs did not allow such choice during the entire obligatory term.
Conclusion : Eighty-percent of the scholarship programs do not allow for the minimum 3 years of basic post-graduate training required by specialty training program guidelines. In order to prevent the anticipated reduction in future applicants to these scholarship programs, appropriate interest rates, repayment rules, and allowance for specialty training are required.

Introduction : Selective admission for medically underserved areas (Chiiki-Waku) has been increasing, but qualifications vary. We investigated the current state of these selective admissions to gain a better sense of their nature and to elucidate problems.
Methods : A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 77 medical schools that accepted applications for selective admission for medically underserved areas in 2013.
Results : There were a total of 1305 applicants for 148 slots at 62 universities. We observed 86 admissions at national universities, and 90 admissions through recommendation/ admissions office-based entrance exams. Thirty programs placed restrictions on employment after graduation, 84 required accepting scholarships, 8 required joining a specific organization as a condition in the pledge and 83 placed limits on place of origin of the applicant. Only 13 programs had special curricula for education in community medicine.
Conclusion : In some Chiiki-Waku, problems such as restriction on employment, the obligation to accept scholarships, and other inappropriate conditions were noted. Definition of students from rural backgrounds in Japan differs from the WHO guideline definition. Few programs offer special curricula covering community medicine.