Training in the Departments of Urology and Surgery for Gynecologists in Japan

Background: The authors wanted to understand the current situation concerning Japanese obstetricians’ and gynecologists’ ideas for and against training in other departments. Methods: We sent questionnaires to obstetrics and gynecology (Ob-Gyn) specialists via a social networking service (SNS) in Japan. They answered anonymously using Google Forms over the internet. Results: The respondents comprised 120 Ob-Gyn specialists, and their age ranges of 28-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50 or more, were 5.8%, 73.3%, 15.8%, and 5.0%, respectively. Only five Ob-Gyn specialists (4.2%) had experience in other departments, specifically gastrointestinal and urology. Ninety percent of them responded that they thought training in other departments was useful for developing clinical and surgical skills. In addition, 91.0% of respondents thought that surgical knowledge and skills were necessary in the clinical practice of gynecology, while 94% stated training in urology was also necessary. However, 49.2% of respondents answered that they may feel stress training in other departments where there were many issues, including a lack of personnel and difficulties securing cases. Conclusion: Many Ob-Gyn specialists think training in other departments is necessary, but potential problems include proper training implementation and stress management for residents. If additional training is enforced, greater flexibility in each facility will be required.