A retrospective observational study analyzing work and study motivation based on the work environment of 15,677 Japanese clinicians in 2016

Physicians play an active role in public health. However, there is a limit to the knowledge and experience that can be gained through hospital work alone. This was a secondary data analysis from 100,000 doctors in Japan (15,677 respondents). The results of the analysis showed that 898 (8.4%) male and 190 (6.0%) female doctors worked 60 h or more in a week. The percentage of physicians whose spouse was a physician was found to be 31.4% (male) and 61.7% (female) (p < 0.001), and the rate of full-time working clinicians was 85.7% (male) and 30.0% (female) (p < 0.001). In the univariate analysis, female’s working hours were affected by childbirth and childcare experience (p < 0.001, 95% CI − 10.3 to − 8.4, with “none” as reference) and specialty certification (p < 0.001, 95% CI − 3.5 to − 1.4, with “none” as reference). In the multivariate analysis, physician’s working hours were associated with sex (coefficient, − 7.4; 95% CI − 8.3 to − 6.5, with “male as reference), childbirth/childcare (coefficient, − 2.2; 95% CI − 2.9 to − 1.4, with “possession” as reference), and specialty qualification (coefficient − 4.0, 95% CI − 5.0 to − 3.0, with “possession” as reference). To summarize the results of the analysis, work/study motivation of physicians will be facilitated by ensuring adequate learning opportunities and by developing support systems and environments.