Abstract
To develop a core group of field epidemiologists for risk assessment and management of infectious diseases and other health-related crises, the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) of Japan was begun in 1999 as a two year on-the-job training course. Core activities of the FETP consist of 6 components : (1) training opportunities ; (2) conducting investigations of disease outbreaks ; (3) disease surveillance (analysis and evaluation of the system) ; (4) communication ; (5) epidemiological research ; and (6) teaching opportunities. As of the end of March 2012, there are now fifty graduates including 2 veterinarians who are on the frontlines of public health and medical science, and belong to local public health authorities, research institutes, universities, Self-Defense Forces and so on.
