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Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1994 > PART II Chapter 4 Section 3 5

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PART II Recent Trends and Developments in Government Policies in Education, Science and Culture
Chapter 4. Toward Diversified Development of Higher Education
Section 3. Toward Sophisticated, Individualized, and Revitalized Higher Education
5. Improvement of Medical and Dental Education and Training of Medical Technicians



(1) Improvement of Medical, Dental, and Pharmacological Education

The environment of medical science and treatment has changed dramatically in recent years, due to factors that include the advance and diversification of medical science and treatment and the aging of the population. The improvement and expansion of medical and dental education have become an important priority because of the need to train doctors and dentists who combine wide-ranging specialized knowledge with rich human qualities. Following the simplifying and broadening of the Standards for the Establishment of Universities in 1991, universities have been studying and implementing various measures concerning the reform of curricula and other aspects of medical and dental education. Examples of the changes that have been made include the establishment of integrated six-year courses based on the interactive linkage of general and specialized education, the expansion of clinical training, and the introduction of early-exposure programs that enable students to experience medical and dental studies and help them to recognize their potential in these fields early in their university careers.

There have also been changes in the environment of pharmacological education, and education in this field needs to be further enhanced in order to meet social expectations regarding the quality of pharmacists as well as progress in pharmaceutical research. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture has established the Consultative Committee for Research and Surveys Regarding the Improvement of Pharmacological Education to study relevant issues. In July 1994 this committee submitted an interim report in which it called for sweeping curriculum reform, including the enhancement of medical and pharmacological education within the existing framework and the development of graduate courses, including majors in clinical pharmacology and pharmaceutical basic science. Other recommendations include the implementation of research regarding the suitability of course requirements for pharmacological education and approaches to pharmacological education in the future, taking into account the views of people in the field and empirical research.


(2) Training of Medical Technicians

Measures relating to the training of nurses, clinical laboratory technicians, and radiologists include the establishment of universities and other institutions of higher education to train technicians and teaching personnel with the wide-ranging knowledge and advanced skills needed to keep pace with the rapid progress of medical science and treatment methods in recent years.

In fiscal 1994 faculties and departments in medical technology were established at 10 universities, bringing the number of universities with such faculties and departments to 35. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture will continue to focus on the training of medical technicians in order to meet society's needs in this area.


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