5. Enhancing Behavioral and Social Sciences in Medical School Curricula

― Perspective of Clinicians ―

Abstract

　As psychological, behavioral, and social factors have a significant impact on health and illness, approaches to these factors are important in medical practice. From the perspectives of global standards of medical education, medical curricula with emphasis on behavioral and social sciences are necessary. The behavioral and social science contents of medical education in the U.S. include six domains: mind-body interactions in health and disease, patients' behavior, physicians' role and behavior, physician-patient interactions, social and cultural issues in health care, and health policy and economics. We need to develop educational outcomes, strategies, assessment, and faculty development to incorporate behavioral and social sciences into medical curricula in Japan.