Abstract
In medical schools without the department of psychosomatic medicine, the department of psychiatry plays the central role in the undergraduate education of psychosomatic medicine. Psychosomatic medicine in a broad sense is a clinical approach which aims to see every patient of any disease from not only physical aspects but also psychosocial aspects. It is not different from psychiatric approach, although psychiatry mainly deals with mental illnesses while psychosomatic medicine mainly deals with somatic diseases. In Tokushima University, the department of psychiatry assumes responsibility in lectures on medical psychology and general psychiatry as well as clinical clerkship of psychiatry. From now on, what is emphasized more in medical education is clinical clerkship. In order to reach a U. S. standard, each medical school tries to extend the period of clinical training. The education of psychosomatic medicine also needs to consider this trend. Introducing the case of Tokushima University, significance of the undergraduate education of psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine is considered.
