Kenyan women medical doctors and their motivations to pursue international research training.

CONTEXT

There is a need to understand the factors that influence African women medical doctors to pursue international health research training because they remain under-represented in research fields but increasingly represented in medicine.

METHODS

We conducted a program study with Kenyan women (N = 12) who participated in a US funded AIDS International Training and Research Program implemented by the University of Washington. Interviews were conducted to understand their clinical research career motivations and training pathways into global health research. The transcripts were analyzed for themes using predefined code areas.

RESULTS

The findings outline entry into research, professional and career balance motivations, and two stages of a career path into research.

DISCUSSION

Kenyan women medical clinical researchers shared similar motivations as US women but differed as well. Kenyan medical doctors pursued health research within a context of limited resources, but the ability to balance work and family while contributing to public health through research and leadership was highly valued. International training programs can effectively engage women in research training by developing women's health research areas, supportive family policies, and aligning program design with local training to develop career pathways for women.