Physician Characteristics Associated With Choosing Pediatrics in Japan: A Nationwide Survey

Identifying factors related to physicians' specialty choice is crucial to ensure a sustainable healthcare workforce. However, knowledge regarding the factors influencing the choice of pediatrics remains inadequate. This study aimed to clarify physicians' background characteristics associated with choosing pediatrics and factors associated with hospital-based practice among pediatricians in Japan.

This cross-sectional study, comprising an online survey of eligible physicians (N = 6415), was conducted in June 2022 via the Nikkei Medical Online website. The primary outcome was the choice of pediatrics, whereas factors associated with hospital-based pediatricians were examined in a secondary analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between physician background characteristics and outcomes.

Among 6415 physicians, 340 (5.3%) were pediatricians. Factors associated with choosing pediatrics included being female (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.84, 95% CI 1.39-2.44), having children (aOR 1.71, 95% CI 1.27-2.29), and graduating from a public university (aOR 1.67, 95% CI 1.24-2.26). Analyses restricted to pediatricians demonstrated that willingness to work in rural areas (aOR 3.24, 95% CI 1.05-10.04) was positively associated with hospital-based practice, whereas age (per 1-year increase; aOR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.95), an urban hometown (aOR 0.54, 95% CI 0.29-0.98), and having a physician father (aOR 0.40, 95% CI 0.19-0.83) were negatively associated.

These findings indicate that pediatric healthcare workforces may be shaped by structural factors, such as educational environment, regional background, and family background, in addition to individual preferences.