Current Situation and Issues of Medical Education in Japan －from the Viewpoint of Communication－

Abstract

In this article, I examine the current situation and issues of medical education in Japan. Expressly from the viewpoint of communication, I deal with three concerns: clinical clerkship, medical interview training using simulated patients, and the integration of the narrative approach within medical education. In conclusion, I maintain that narrative training can compensate for several shortcomings of medical interview training with simulated patients. Moreover, the narrative approach can promote better communication with local patients and residents, thereby fulfilling the basic requisite of any clinical clerkship. Towards these ends, an effective curriculum that integrates communicative training shall be vitally essential for Japanese undergraduate medical education.