Using the National Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists, we examine the gender differences among physicians in obtaining board certification in Japan. In male-dominated specialties (e.g., surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, and urology), female physicians are (1) less likely to obtain basic specialty certificates in their initially chosen specialties and (2) less likely to secure any basic specialty certificate. By contrast, in female-dominated specialties (e.g., obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and anesthesiology), female physicians are (1) more likely to acquire basic specialty certificates in their initially chosen specialties, but (2) just as likely as males to secure any basic specialty certificate. In most specialties, female physicians are less likely to obtain subspecialty certificates, that is, certificates acquired by mid-career qualified physicians. Enabling female physicians to remain in male-dominated specialties and encouraging them to secure subspecialty certificates in all basic fields are crucial for the career advancement of female physicians in Japan.
