Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Committee Report

What is necessary to make neurology a basic specialty?: Changing medical specialty system in Japan and the mission of a basic specialty

Masahiro Sonoo, M.D.1), Masami Sakoi, M.D.2), Ken Watanabe, M.D.3)4), Hidekazu Tomimoto, M.D.5), Tetsuo Ando, M.D.6), Kazutoshi Nishiyama, M.D.7), Ryosuke Takahashi, M.D.8), Tatsushi Toda, M.D.9) and the committee for future neurology specialty system of Japanese Sociaty of Neurology

1) Department of Neurology, Teikyo University School of Medicine
2) Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
3) Tottori Medical Association
4) Meiwa-kai Medical and Welfare Center, Watanabe Hospital
5) Department of Neurology, Mie University School of Medicine
6) Department of Neurology, Anjo Kosei Hospital
7) Department of Neurology, Kitasato University School of Medicine
8) Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
9) Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo

The Japanese Society of Neurology decided to aim to convert neurology, which is currently a subspecialty of internal medicine, to a basic specialty in the Japanese medical specialty system at the special general meeting of corporate members in January 2018. Because the details of new specialty system in Japan remain unstable, the committee to promote achievement of neurology as a basic specialty planned to hold a special symposium regarding the specialty system at the 60th annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology in May 2019. This article compiles the abstracts of speakers in this symposium. Speakers were from Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Japan Medical Association, and our society members. We discussed the reason why neurology should be a basic specialty, the consideration indispensable for the regional health care as a basic specialty, how to reach our goal, and problems to overcome. Based on the decision at the special general meeting of corporate members mentioned above and such discussion, we will continue making best efforts to achieve neurology as a basic specialty through negotiation with relevant players including the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (1948K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 60: 515－519, 2020)
key words: the Japanese Society of Neurology, board-certified neurologist, medical specialty system, basic specialty, regional health care

(Received: 10-May-20)