Factors Associated With Attainment of Specialty Board Qualifications and Doctor of Medical Science Degrees Among Japanese Female Doctors

Purpose Specialty board qualifications or doctor of medical science (DMSc) degrees are essential for women's promotion to leadership positions in medicine in Japan. The authors examined what personal and professional characteristics of female doctors were associated with attainment of specialty board qualifications and DMSc degrees. Method This study was based on alumnae surveys of 13 private medical schools in Japan conducted from 2009 to 2011 and investigating 882 alumnae who had at least one child (mean age 47 years). Multinomial logistic regression models were applied to investigate factors associated with attainment of specialty board qualifications alone, DMSc degrees alone, and both, compared with attainment of neither specialty board qualifications nor DMSc degrees. Results In total, 34% of the sample obtained both specialty board qualifications and DMSc degrees, 33% obtained specialty board qualifications only, 9% obtained DMSc degrees only, and 24% obtained neither. A one-year increase in age at the time of first birth was associated with an increased likelihood of attaining a specialty board qualification and/or a DMSc versus having neither qualification (P < .0001). Women who resigned from their jobs instead of taking maternity leave at the time of first childbirth had a significantly lower likelihood ratio of obtaining specialty board qualifications either alone or in conjunction with DMSc degrees (P < .0001). Conclusions Earlier age and job resignation at the time of first childbirth among physician-mothers in Japan were associated with failure to attain specialty board qualifications and DMSc degrees, with important implications for future career advancement.