Abstract
To contribute to the innovation of the medical
education system in Japan, we visited 35 medical
schools and 5 institutes in 12 countries of North
America, Europe, Australia and Asia in 2008-
2010 and observed the education system. We
met the deans, medical education committee and
administration affairs and discussed about the
desirable education system. We also observed the
facilities of medical schools.
Medical education system shows marked diversity
in the world. There are three types of education
course; non-graduate-entry program(non-GEP),
graduate-entry program(GEP) and mixed program
of non-GEP and GEP. Even in the same country,
several types of medical schools coexist. Although
the education methods are also various among
medical schools, most of the medical schools have
introduced tutorial system based on PBL or TBL
and simulation-based learning to create excellent
medical physicians.
The medical education system is variable among
countries depending on the social environment.
Although the change in education program may
not be necessary in Japan, we have to innovate
education methods; clinical training by clinical
clerkship must be made more developed to foster
the training of the excellent clinical physicians,
and tutorial education by PBL or TBL and
simulation-based learning should be introduced
more actively.
