Background: Pediatric clinical research in Japan has declined recently, and a new policy requiring manuscripts of residents for the pediatric board examination was established in 2017. However, pediatric faculties appear to be confused about research education in residencies.
Methods: Questionnaires on research activities in residencies were distributed during the spring of 2018 to 500 pediatric directors in all educational hospitals in Japan. We collected data and performed statistical analyses: principal component analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, and multiple comparisons.
Results: We received 252 (50.4%) responses and analyzed 243 (61 academic hospitals, 27 children's hospitals, 151 community hospitals, and 4 unknown). About 137 (56.4%) of them supported the new policy. There were three main contentious points on attitudes to pediatric research among respondents: passion for research, particularity about disease research, and public spirit. There was a difference in passion for research between academics and non-academics. A difference in pride in particular research was observed between PhDs and MDs. Differences in public spirit were not associated with scholarly degrees or hospital type.
Conclusions: To promote research education in residencies, pediatric faculties should confirm and share the aim that pediatricians should be scientific physicians with a research mentality developed through research activities and should notice social problems. Through research education, pediatric residents could approach the five outcomes for pediatricians provided by the Japan Pediatric Society: being general physicians, child healthcare supporters, advocates for children, scholars, and professionals.
Keywords: advocacy; professional; research education; research mentality; scientific physician.
© 2019 Japan Pediatric Society.