Parental socioeconomic status and medical specialty choice: a nationwide analysis of Japanese physicians

This is the first study to quantitatively assess the significant association between parental socioeconomic status and medical specialty choice among physicians in Japan. Parental socioeconomic status appears to be a key factor in physicians' career choices. Future research should be more comprehensive and include multifaceted components of socioeconomic status and psychosocial factors. Key messages What is already known on this topic: Previous studies, primarily from Western countries, have suggested a potential link between socioeconomic status and physicians' specialty choice; however, empirical data from Japan are largely absent. What this study adds: This nationwide study in Japan revealed a significant association between specialty choice and parental factors, including high income and having a physician parent and urban birthplace. This highlights the fact that physicians from high-socioeconomic status backgrounds are disproportionately represented in certain specialties, such as neurosurgery and dermatology. How this study might affect research, practice or policy: Understanding the association between parental socioeconomic status and specialty choice could inform policy designs aimed to promote equitable career counseling and ensure a balanced distribution of the physician workforce across specialties.