Perceptions of Japanese Medical Trainees and Physicians About Writing Case Reports: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Research
• Academic Medicine

Background:

• Case report writing is a valuable scientific and educational activity for physicians at all career stages.
• Assessing perceptions of case report writing can identify needs and facilitate practice.
• This study specifically compares trainee and attending physician views in Japan.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate Japanese medical students', residents', and physicians' perceptions of the value, facilitators, and barriers to writing case reports.
• To compare these perceptions between trainees and attending physicians.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based survey was conducted at a Japanese medical conference.
• Participants included medical students, residents, and physicians.
• Respondents were categorized as trainees (postgraduate year ≤ 6) or attending physicians (postgraduate year ≥ 7).

Main Results:

• A strong consensus existed on the value of case reports, with 93.9% agreeing they improve critical thinking.
• Lectures and workshops were key facilitators (98.2%), while lack of formal training (91.4%) and literature review skills (91.4%) were major barriers.
• Trainees were more likely than attending physicians to cite "lack of English skills" as a barrier (81.8% vs. 59.0%; p = 0.008).

Conclusions:

• Case reports are highly valued across various medical disciplines in Japan.
• Addressing the distinct needs of attending and early-career physicians through tailored support can promote case report writing.
• Further support for trainees, particularly in English language skills, may be beneficial.