Specialty qualification for intensive care medicine in Japan and foreign countries

Abstract

Most countries have formal training programs in intensive care medicine, which programs are accessible to trainees from any of the major base specialties. In a few countries, intensive care medicine is a primary specialty, in which trainees can take a specialty course following completion of undergraduate training and registration. Intensive care units directed by certified intensivists are reported to have a lower mortality rate than those directed by other physicians. Postgraduate training course for intensive care medicine in Japanese Society of ICM has urgently to be prepared, in which well-designed training courses are anticipated for the trainees accessible from a variety of other specialty courses.