General medicine and health professions education / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

ABSTRACT

 This article summarizes the history of the modern Japanese healthcare system from the viewpoint of medical education, with emphasis on the role of general medicine and its core values as embraced by the members of the Japanese Society of General Medicine. The introduction of a German-based system, the role of universal national health care resulting in accessible healthcare, and the abolishment of American-type internships during Japan's period of student activism are among the topics covered. General medicine in Japan has been built upon the foundation of the Japan Society for Medical Education and the Japanese Society of General Medicine. The recent introduction of mandatory postgraduate clinical training for all medical graduates has alerted clinician-educators to the importance of competency-based approaches in medical professional education, especially in the areas of patient-centered care, team approaches, evidence-based medicine (EBM), and quality and safety. Generalist physicians should assume an active role as frontrunners in the current global trend toward healthcare reform, which requires healthcare providers be accountable and transparent in their professional activities.