Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Committee Report

The actual state and problems in neurology training at graduate school

Jun-ichi Kira, M.D.1), Yasumasa Ohyagi, M.D.2), Takayuki Taniwaki, M.D.3), Takashi Inuzuka, M.D.4), Fumihito Yoshii, M.D.5), Masashi Aoki, M.D.6), Takahiro Amano, M.D.7), Itaru Toyoshima, M.D.8), Toshio Fukutake, M.D.9) and Yoichiro Hashimoto, M.D.10)

1)Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
2)Department of Neurological Therapeutics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
3)Division of Respiratory, Neurology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
4)Department of Neurology and Geriatrics, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine
5)Department of Neurology, Tokai University School of Medicine
6)Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine
7)Department of Neurology, Sanno Medical Center
8)Department of Neurology, NHO Akita Hospital
9)Department of Neurology, Kameda Medical Center
10)Department of Neurology, Kumamoto City Hospital

To understand the status of postgraduate education in neurology in Japan, the Committee for the Education of Undergraduate Students and Junior Residents within the Japanese Society of Neurology investigated the four-year trend at 80 medical schools from 2009 to 2012. The mean number of new students to each postgraduate school increased from 1.24 to 1.67 during these four years. After training clinical neurology, more than half of the neurological residents entered the postgraduate schools. Students in the postgraduate schools seemed to be researching major neurological diseases using various methods at each neurology laboratory. However, some problems were suggested. First, the mean number of newcomers to the neurology departments of the universities decreased gradually from 2.29/year to 1.96/year. Second, many of the postgraduate students were working in patient services at university hospitals or as part-time workers at other hospitals, and may not have sufficient time for their research projects. Third, many of the postgraduate students were carrying out research at each affiliated department of neurology, and may not have the opportunity to work in laboratories specializing in basic science. Finally, there may not be sufficient opportunities for further research at other laboratories in Japan or overseas after they finished their work at postgraduate school.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (2140K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 54: 349|358, 2014)
key words: neurology, postgraduate education, questionnaire, perspective

(Received: 17-Oct-13)