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How to become a Medical Researcher

Also called: Pathology researcher

Carries out medical research, either while working with patients as a doctor or as a full-time researcher in a university medical school or research institute.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say a doctorate, university, or a master's degree is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

Clinical researchers treat patients, so all of them have passed the National Medical Licensing Examination and graduated from a university medical school. Basic research, however, draws on many sciences, and specialists with many different techniques take part, so many come from science, pharmacy, agriculture and engineering faculties. Almost everyone who does research in a university laboratory has completed postgraduate study. To do research at a public or private research institute or a hospital, you sit a civil service exam or a recruitment exam, are hired as a researcher and carry out specialist research in your field. As well as strong research ability, you need to genuinely enjoy research. As a scientist you must also be committed to following research ethics.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Medical Researcher?

Clinical researchers treat patients, so all of them have passed the National Medical Licensing Examination and graduated from a university medical school. Basic research, however, draws on many sciences, and specialists with many different techniques take part, so many come from science, pharmacy, agriculture and engineering faculties. Almost everyone who does research in a university laboratory has completed postgraduate study. To do research at a public or private research institute or a hospital, you sit a civil service exam or a recruitment exam, are hired as a researcher and carry out specialist research in your field. As well as strong research ability, you need to genuinely enjoy research. As a scientist you must also be committed to following research ethics.

How much does a Medical Researcher earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥8,020,100 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Researchers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Medical Researcher?

Usually. In this job's census occupation group, 90% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Medical Researcher?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026