The Present Issue and the Perspectives of Japanese Board of Medical Specialties (JMSB)

Abstract

Japanese Board of medical specialties (JMSB) has been established to certify specialist physicians in 2014 based on the report of the committee on Japanese medical specialties set in 2013 by Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). The primary operation concepts of JMSB are as follows, ① to be an independent certification organization, ② to adopt two-step system, primary specialty training first then subspecialty training, ③ to establish the General Medicine as a primary specialty, ④ to operate according to the concept of Professional Autonomy. JMSB made great efforts to establish the training system according to the guidelines set by JMSB during first 2 years. However, apprehension about mal-distribution of senior residents was pointed out by the subcommittee of Medical Ethics Council (MEC) set in MHLW. To resolve the problems, number limit of senior residents, so-called ceiling system, was introduced. Since the ceiling system was not satisfied by both the subcommittee and JMSB, it is now under repeated discussions. Another problem at issue is subspecialty training. Training in some subspecialty areas can exceptionally be started in coordination with that in primary specialties, Internal Medicine, Surgery and Radiology. JMSB is now blushing up our subspecialty training systems for better understandings by the subcommittee members, related specialty organizations and public.