ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Since the establishment of Model Core-Curriculum for Medical Education in 2001, undergraduate medical education has been progressively renovated in Japan. We conducted a questionnaire survey to investigate how this curriculum changed undergraduate anesthesiology education and how it affected our work load as the teaching staff of medical schools. METHODS: The questionnaire sent to 80 medical universities in Japan, consisted of 4 parts; (1) activity of institution and human resources, (2) lectures, (3) clerkship, and (4) future direction of the lectures and clerkship. RESULTS: The response rate was 59%. The number of staff engaged in undergraduate education was variable; ranging from 4 to 28. The number of lectures was 0 to more than 25 units per year and 6 institutions discontinued conventional didactic lectures. Although clinical clerkship program was being offered to students in most institutions, informed consent for clinical procedures by the students was obtained only in 11 of 47 institutions. CONCLUSIONS: The result shows that there is still room for improvement in educational environment, including manpower or curriculum. A written informed consent should be completed to provide patients' safety and to fulfill the clinical practice by medical students.
