How can we help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan? A comparison in medical students’ attitudes toward general practice and clinical research of a medical school in Japan and in Sweden

Objective: In Sweden, primary healthcare centers play an important role in the performance of general practice, education, and clinical research. In Japan, general physicians or general practitioners are expected to be more active in the small-scale hospitals and clinics in rural areas. This study aimed to explore the differences in attitudes toward general practice and clinical research among medical students in Japan and Sweden to present solutions to help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two medical schools in Japan and Sweden in 2018, using an anonymous and self-administered questionnaire survey that comprised 16 items including 9 items on clinical research.Results: Participants were 154 medical students (response rate: 69.4% for 222 students) in Japan and 56 (27.1% for 201 students) in Sweden. The proportion of medical students who wanted to become general physicians was greater in Japan than in Sweden (Japan:Sweden=36.4%:17.9%; P=0.012). Although fewer Japanese students wanted to conduct research in rural areas than Swedish students (43.5%:57.1%; P