Ideals and Objectives of the Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University School of Medicine
Faculty of Medicine Kyoto University aims to foster gifted clinicians and medical professionals to work on the frontline of medical care and also to nurture the next generation of researchers and educators in the medical field.
At Faculty of Medicine Kyoto University, we aim instill our students with the following qualities:
１．Intellectual originality that will enable a pro-active approach and provide new insight into the treatment of diseases rather than relying on existing methods.
２．Insight and awareness of patients’ feelings and a broad understanding of society and human behavior.
３．Good morals and a high degree of motivation to contribute to the health of society as a whole.
４．A global perspective and the ability to be active internationally.
Basic Principles of Kyoto University Hospital
１．Providing safe and high-quality medical care as a patient-centered hospital.
２．Contributing to society through the development and practice of new treatments.
３．Fostering medical professionals with a sense of mission, responsibility as well as compassion.
Learning Outcomes of the Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University
１．Responsibility and Ethics
２．Knowledge and Skills
３．Lifelong Learning and Collaborative Learning
４．Communication and Collaboration
５．Foundation for Creative Ideas and Challenges
６．Foundation for Global Engagement
“Pre- and Post-graduate Medical Education
With a focus on achieving a seamless medical education from the undergraduate stage through graduation and beyond, the Center for Medical Education and Internationalization promotes courses in the following sequence.
Medical students, pharmacy students, and nursing students engage in interdisciplinary training at various healthcare settings of different scales. This interdisciplinary approach promotes mutual understanding and awareness of role-sharing and collaboration in healthcare.
In the My Course Program, students autonomously choose their placements. Some students conduct research abroad, and each student selects placements with an eye on their future areas of interest, fostering high motivation.
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(This information is restricted to internal personnel only).
This course offers vital content for medical students participating in clinical practicum, including “Clinical Diagnostic Reasoning” and “Self-assessment of Clinical Skills.” It aims to enhance their practical skills in clinical medicine, building upon the knowledge acquired through lectures.
In collaboration with various affiliated hospitals, students undergo diverse practicums in both basic and specialized medical fields. Particularly in elective practicums where students autonomously choose placements, opportunities for self-discovery and overseas training are actively pursued.
As a comprehensive overview of basic clinical practicums, specialized clinical practicums, and elective practicums, students reflect on cases and experiences. The reflection process deepens the understanding from the perspectives of behavioral and social sciences.
In undergraduate education, the Center for Medical Education and Internationalization promotes participatory learning with the aim of facilitating a seamless transition to postgraduate education, especially in clinical training. The Vice Director of the Center for Medical Education Internationalization also serves as the Chair of the Training Management Committee at the Comprehensive Clinical Education and Training Center within the affiliated hospital, fostering robust collaboration. Furthermore, in the administration of standardized examinations, faculty members from both the Medical Education Center and the Clinical Training Center collaborate to ensure students receive adequate practice with simulation equipment.
Through this collaboration between the Center for Medical Education Internationalization and the Clinical Training Center at the affiliated hospital, a seamless transition between pre-graduate and post-graduate education is facilitated.
Moreover, clinical practicums at our university are conducted not only at the medical school’s affiliated hospital but also at cooperating external hospitals. These external practicum sites vary in size and specialty, with a majority being designated clinical training hospitals. Students learn a wide range of content from environments they may consider working in after graduation. Furthermore, many training coordinators at cooperating hospitals are clinical professors from Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, and an annual “Clinical Professors’ Council” is held to facilitate dialogue with representatives from practicum locations.”
Cultivating a Holistic and Comprehensive Perspective and Professionalism Based on a Systematic Behavioral Science Curriculum
In undergraduate medical education, it is essential not only to acquire medical knowledge but also to cultivate a holistic and comprehensive perspective. Such perspectives, together with professionalism, are indispensable for contributing to society as a clinician or researcher; however, they cannot be developed through a single course alone. For this reason, in addition to the courses overseen by our Center, we collaborate with faculty members from a wide range of disciplines to implement a vertically integrated program, as illustrated below, grounded in a systematic behavioral science curriculum.
In the first year, through Early Clinical Exposure I, students engage in clinical training soon after matriculation, allowing them to experience real clinical settings firsthand. In the second year, Early Clinical Exposure II aims to help students concretely envision their future professional identities by conducting interviews on career histories with physicians active in diverse fields. In the Clinical Communication course, students first learn the fundamentals of behavioral science with a focus on patient behavior change, and then engage in practical learning through role-playing and simulation.
In the third year, students deepen the underlying medical knowledge that forms the foundation of these learning experiences in a systematic and concrete manner. In the fourth year, during the Introduction to Clinical Clerkships, and in the fifth and sixth years, through Clinical Clerkship Review, we provide learning opportunities that integratively incorporate behavioral science, social medicine, and clinical medicine. Furthermore, by incorporating Interprofessional Education (IPE) in collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Department of Human Health Sciences, this program is jointly implemented by faculty members from the Center for Medical Education and Internationalization as well as from basic medicine, social medicine, behavioral science, clinical medicine, and the collaborating faculties and departments.
