The degree of satisfaction and level of learning in male and female surgical residents: a nationwide questionnaire survey of graduating residents in Japan.

Purpose: Since 2002, the Japan Surgical Society has established a board certification system for surgeons to be certified for a specialty. Surgery remains a male-dominated field in Japan. This study aimed to clarify if the Japanese surgical residency training system is equally suitable for female and male residents.

Does the hospitalization immersion experience improve medical students' understanding of patients' perspectives? A qualitative study.

Purpose: Although many studies have assessed the impact of interventions to increase medical students' empathy by improving their understanding of patients' perspectives and feelings, the impact of hospitalization experiences remains unclear.

Methods: Fifth-year medical students at Kyushu University from 2009-2013 participated in a 2-day/1-night course to provide a hospitalization experience. After the course, participants answered an online, anonymous, open-ended questionnaire created by the authors.

Is there disparity between regions and facilities in surgical resident training in Japan? Insights from a national survey.

Purpose: This study sought to assess the disparity between regions and facilities in surgical resident training in Japan via a national level needs-assessment.

Methods: A survey was sent to all 909 graduating residents of 2016. Residents trained in the six prefectures with a population of 7 million or more were included in the large prefecture (LP) group.

Are graduating residents sufficiently competent? Results of a national gap analysis survey of program directors and graduating residents in Japan.

Purpose: To evaluate the self-assessed competency of graduating residents (GRs) in Japan upon completion of their residency and to identify the gap between their competency and the competency expected by their program directors (PDs).

Method: A list of 31 essential surgical procedures was compiled according to the consensus of surgical educators from around the country. A survey with this list was sent to all 909 GRs and their 611 PDs in 2016.

Promoting Patient Care Through Communication Training in a Pre-clerkship Pharmacy Education Course in Japan.

The purpose of this study was to teach communication skills for patient care to pre-clerkship students and observe changes in student perspectives towards communication from pre- to post-training. Two cohorts of fourth-year pharmacy students completed an eight-week pre-clerkship training course designed to improve their communication skills. The course involved class discussions and in-class research of medications, practicing communication skills, learning to give science-based responses, and developing an awareness of patient education for lifestyle, self-medication, quality of life, and medication adherence.

A snapshot of surgical resident training in Japan: results of a national-level needs assessment survey.

Purpose: To evaluate the status of surgical training in Japan through a national-level needs assessment.

Methods: A survey was sent to all 909 graduating residents (GRs) and their 611 program directors (PDs) for the year 2016. A working group of surgical educators from around the country was formed under the education committee of the Japan Surgical Society.

Competencies necessary for becoming a leader in the field of community medicine: a Japanese qualitative interview study.

Objectives: To clarify competencies for inclusion in our curriculum that focuses on developing leaders in community medicine.

Design: Qualitative interview study.

Setting: All six regions of Japan, including urban and rural areas.

Development of culture-sensitive clinical teacher evaluation sheet in the Japanese context.

Aim: Many instruments for evaluating clinical teaching have been developed, albeit most in Western countries. This study aims to develop a validated cultural and local context sensitive instrument for clinical teachers in an East Asian setting (Japan), Japanese Clinical Teacher Evaluation Sheet (JaCTES).

Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional evaluation study was conducted.

Comparison of students' encountered diseases and available diseases at clerkship sites by exploratory multivariate analysis: Are encountered diseases predictable?

Background: Students in clerkship are expected to gain clinical expertise by interacting with real patients in clinical situations. Monitoring and predicting the students' encounter diseases (EDs) is important for providing an optimal experience. EDs should be compared with the available diseases (ADs) at the clerkship site and with the required diseases described in some guidelines for the clinical curriculum.