Roles, careers and femininity in biomedicine: women physicians and nurses in Japan

This paper explores the relationship between gender and work roles in Japan by comparing women physicians and nurses. After reviewing women's roles and definitions of femininity in Japan, contrasts are described in socioeconomic background, educational levels, career patterns and patient perceptions. Despite these contrasts, neither women physicians nor nurses are likely to reject the sociocultural expectations of Japanese women and most define their role as housewife/mother as their first priority. This preserves male dominance of the biomedical system by reinforcing both the subordinate status of nursing as a profession and the woman physician's lack of power in the medical system.