Initial Two-Year Clinical Training Program in Postgraduate Medical Education / 医学教育

In 1991, the committee on postgraduate clinical training proposed revised behavioral objectives for basic clinical training in the initial two years. We present here a model for a clinical training program that should enable most residents to attain these objectives within two years.<BR>The program begins with orientation for 1-2 weeks, including a workshop on team care, and nursing practice.<BR>Basic clinical skills for primary care and emergency managements should be learned by experience during rotations through various clinical specialities. All staff members, even senior residents, should participate in teaching beginning residents in hospitals.

Factors Influencing School Choice by Medical Students / 医学教育

In order to appropriately obtain information for the purpose of reforming the school selection process, we analyzed questionaires from 1, 641 students in their first year of medical school. Twenty-five percent of the subjects were women and the 20 participating medical schools consisted of 4 newer national schools, 6 older national schools, 3 provincial or municipal schools, 4 newer private schools, and 3 older private schools.<BR>As expected the medical students admitted to a strong desire to enter the specific profession of medicine. Important factors influencing their decision to apply to a particular medical school included (1) geographical location, (2) general public reputation, (3) whether or not the school was part of a university, and (4) the cost of tuition. Students did not appear to pay much attention to specific educational programs, facilities and environment, or the teaching staff of individual schools. The Committee proposes that medical schools make a greater effort to acquaint applicants with the history, purpose, and educational environment of their institution in order to aid the students in their selection process.

Report of the 8th conference on student selection / 医学教育

This conference was held at Noguchi Memorial Hall, Tokyo, on September 9 th, 1989. Seventy five persons from fifty two medical schools and two high schools participated.<BR>In the first session, “Intrview-Methods and Evaluation”, Dr. H. Hasekura introduced recent trends in the interview test in general and his experiences at Shinshu University. Dr. M. Hirno stressed a clear relationship between the interview and performances of students of Yamanashi Medical College. Dr. I. Takeyama, Teikyo Univ., reported on the significance of the two-day interview including one overnight stay with the applicants.<BR>In the second session, “High School vs University”, Mr. H. Motohashi, Hibiya High School, explained about high school records, and Mr. T. Ohnuki, Mito Daiichi High School, analyzed recent behaviors of medical school applicants. Dr. T. Ogawa, Akita Univ., Dr. S. Sato, Nagoya Municipal Univ. and Dr. T. Takagaki, Juntendo Univ., pointed out that high school records are more predictable than the entrance examination scores through follow up studies.<BR>This meeting impressed upon the participants the importance of communication and reliability between high schools and universities.

Proposal of promoting medical education research / 医学教育

Reviewing the present status of medical education in Japan, the author emphasized that the promotion of scientific research in medical education is most urgent in order to implement various proposals for the improvement of medical education which were made public in the past. In comparison of situations between the United States and Japan, a plan of establishing a national center for medical education research which has been recently proposed in the United States seems to be premature in Japan where interest in education research is not yet much heightened among medical educators. Instead, the establishment of an organizational unit specialized in medical education at individual institutions is more realistic and should be promoted nation-widely in Japan. In this unit, medical education research in each institution should be properly evaluated as an important factor to influence the personnel affairs including selection and promotion. A case of “Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care” in Thomas Jefferson University (Director: Prof. J. S. Gonnella) was introduced as a typical example of the individual unit.

Objectives of post-graduate clinical training / 医学教育

Japanese medical graduates are recommended to receive clinical training for more than two years after graduation, because undergraduate clinical training is insuffiicient.<BR>In 1976 the committee of postgraduate clinical training proposed the objectives of basic clinical training after graduation of medical schoool and in 1981 the committee proposed the objectives for the first postgraduate year of training and the methods of clinical skill assessment.<BR>We here present the revised objectives of basic clinical training after graduation of medical school.<BR>It is emphasized that clinical trainees should have basic clinical skills of primary and emergency care during the two year training.<BR>These clinical skills include interviewing techniques, skills in physical examination and interpretation of physical findings, laboratory skills, skills relating to diagnosis and managements, communication skills to other doctors and to other medical co-workers and terminal care.