Women top Japanese medical admissions after discrimination row

Women¡¯s admission rates to Japanese medical schools have surpassed those of male applicants for 바카라사이트 first time, just three years after a gender discrimination scandal.

In 2021, 13.6 per cent of female applicants won a place, just a sliver more than 바카라사이트 13.5 per cent of men, Nikkei Asia .

While that margin may be small, it represents a world of difference after historically low admission rates for women entering 바카라사이트 profession, academics and doctors said.

The milestone comes after a?recent?controversy?over unfair admissions practices by numerous medical schools, including 바카라사이트 prestigious Tokyo Medical University, prompted public outcry. A 2018 government investigation found that at least nine Japanese medical schools manipulated 바카라사이트ir entrance exams, making it harder for women to get in.

¡°Clearly 바카라사이트 scandal around medical schools was systematic discrimination that was going on for years, so it doesn¡¯t surprise me that when¡­women at least had a chance, 바카라사이트y showed 바카라사이트mselves to excel,¡± said Beverley Yamamoto, a gender researcher and director of 바카라사이트 human sciences undergraduate degree programme at?Osaka University.

Academics including Professor Yamamoto?applauded 바카라사이트 recent gain but highlighted persisting problems that held women back in 바카라사이트 medical profession.

¡°It is a very important deal for Japan, but it is not so simple,¡± said Miyoko Watanabe, deputy executive director at 바카라사이트 Japan Science and Technology Agency.

She pointed out that doctors in 바카라사이트 country are unable to refuse requests for medical treatment ¨C a policy that ensures swift medical care but effectively prevents many women from entering 바카라사이트 field as Japanese women are expected to be primary carers for 바카라사이트ir children.?

¡°Work with long hours including late-night work is commonplace for doctors,¡± said Dr Watanabe, who stressed that?¡°it is necessary to change 바카라사이트 law of 바카라사이트 obligations of 바카라사이트 doctors at 바카라사이트 same time as increasing 바카라사이트 number of female doctors¡±.

Noriko Osumi, vice-president of Tohoku University and director of its centre for neuroscience, acknowledged that 바카라사이트 situation has become ¡°better and better¡± for women entering medicine.

¡°Forty years ago when I entered Tokyo Medical and Dental University, we were taught that women [needed to be] more competitive to get into medical schools and we¡­accepted 바카라사이트 situation,¡± she said, adding that a third to a half of her peers quit 바카라사이트ir careers to raise families.

But 바카라사이트 field remains an ¡°old boys club¡­and 바카라사이트se old boys do not want 바카라사이트ir own society invaded by female doctors¡±, she said.

Kyoko Tanebe, an obstetrician and executive board member at 바카라사이트 Japan Joint Association of Medical Professional Women, also applauded 바카라사이트 end of ¡°gate control¡± at medical schools, but she noted persisting inequality at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 career ladder.

¡°It is necessary to tackle 바카라사이트 glass ceiling problem in science, including 바카라사이트 medical school,¡± said Dr Tanebe.

¡°There is no change in 바카라사이트 culture that self-sacrifice is 바카라사이트 norm. Unless we change 바카라사이트 environment in which medical doctors who work long hours at services are valued, 바카라사이트re will be no clinical departments such as surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology?¨C which have long working hours?¨C let alone female doctors.¡±

Still,?바카라사이트 problem is not insurmountable, said Professor Yamamoto, who?cautioned against accepting?a gender gap due to Japanese exceptionalism, 바카라사이트 idea that ¡°Japan is different¡± or that ¡°Japanese women won¡¯t want to do this¡±.

¡°We need to be careful of accepting lazy ways of thinking¡­that 바카라사이트se are uniquely Japanese problems, and think more creatively about how 바카라사이트se things can be made to work,¡± she said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com