Medical education system. Change of General Education Caused by the Innovation of the University Chartering Standards Law

• Published in: Igaku Kyoiku / Medical Education (Japan) Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 159 - 164
• Main Authors: FUJISAKI Kazuhiko, NAKAMURA Chikako
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan Society for Medical Education 1998; 日本医学教育学会
• Subjects: Change of the General Education; Early Exposure; Liberal arts; Medical School Plan; Medical School構想; The Innovation of the University Chartering Standards Law; リベラルアーツ; 一般教育の変化; 大綱化; 早期体験学習
• ISSN: 0386-9644; 2185-0453
• DOI: 10.11307/mededjapan1970.29.159

The innovation of the University Chartering Standards Law in 1991 triggered changes in general education in almost all medical schools in Japan. These changes include: 1) frequent abolition of the department of general education; 2) an expansion in the offerings of specialty subject; and 3) increase in early exposure programs. The Model of general education has, in general, changed from the liberal arts model to the one that emphasizes the development of physicians. One remaining problem is that, although the system of general education has changed, the traditional pedagogy has generally persisted. These are at least two possible forms that general education can take in the future. The first one comes from the U.S., in which students enter medical schools after finishing their general college education. The other one stems from an European model in which high school provide students with part of their general education, and medical schools provide them with intensive basic and humanity education that is necessary for physicians. Medical schools in Japan now face three major challenges for the future: 1) seeking how to teach ways of thinking other than medical one; 2) establishing an education system corresponding with recent changes in young people; 3) establishing divisions which comprehensively organize and supervise general education. 平成3年の大学設置基準の大綱化により, 一般教育の見直しがほとんどの大学で行われている. それらの変化は, 1) 進学課程の減少, 2) 特殊教育科目の拡大, 3) early exposure実施の拡大, の3点によって特徴づけられ, 全体として一般教育のモデルが, 一般教養人モデルから医師としての人間性教育モデルへとシフトしてきているといえる. しかし, 問題点として, 制度的枠組みは変わったものの, まだまだ旧来の教育から根本的に抜け出せていない現状が依然としてある. 今後の一般教育は, アメリカのようにカレッジで一般教育を終了後に医学部に入学する形態か, ヨーロッパのように一般教育の一部を高校段階で終了し, 医学部入学後は医師として必要な基礎教育・人間性教育に焦点を当てる形態に変わっていく可能性がある. 課題として, 1) 医学以外のものの考え方を身につけるため工夫, 2) 近年の青年の変化に対応した教育体制の確立, 3) 一般教育を総合的に監督, 調整する部門の確立, のそれぞれの必要性が存在する.