Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University
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Curriculum Policy – Graduate School of Medicine

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Curriculum Policy

Educational Philosophies of the Graduate School of Medicine is “cultivation of high ethical standards and rich humanity, as well as acquisition of advanced medical knowledge and technology”. Beyond the boundaries of existing academic disciplines, we offer interdisciplinary education aiming at the acquisition of basic knowledge and technology of mutually related fields. In addition, to nurture talented individuals answering the diversified social needs, we introduce the coursework to study systematically through multiple subjects. Students choose the course suits best to their purpose. We implement the graduate education of the new era with emphasis on the [clarification of purpose] and [substantiation of education] in the Graduate School of Medicine.

Curriculum Policy - Master's Program

The following three courses are offered in the Master's Program. Students are allocated to courses based on their preference.

1. Medical Science Course
This course aims to train high level professionals with wide medical knowledge who play active roles in medical fields.
2. Public Health Course (Two-Year Course)
This course aims to train human resources who are capable of playing active roles in addressing the challenges of public health with broad knowledge and high skills for the maintenance and improvement of the entire society and people’s health, life and security.
3. Public Health Course (One-Year Course)
This course is intended for medical doctors, dentists, pharmacist and other professionals with a certain amount of practical experiences, and aims to train, in one year, highly specialized professionals who are capable of playing active roles in medical and public health fields.
 

In the Master's Program in Medical Science, Required Core Subjects, Required Subjects I, Required Subjects II, and Elective Subjects are offered.

“Required Core Subjects” are offered to cultivate the basic quality in the education at the Graduate School of Medicine, and are compulsory in all courses. “Required Core Subjects” include “Introduction to Basic Medical Research” to provide basic and systematic knowledge of medical research, “Basic Experimental Methods and Research Designs” to master designing of research, basics of epidemiology and biostatics and so on. In line with “All-round Education”, one of educational philosophies of Hokkaido University, students learn “Introduction to Medical Ethics” which cultivates bioethics for those engaged in medicine and “Introduction to Translational Research” which promotes the understanding of bridging research aimed at establishing medical technology or pharmaceutical products in the clinical practice utilizing the results gained by basic research.

“Required Subjects I” are the subjects dedicated to the specialty of each course and offered according to the educational goal of each course.

“Required Subjects II” provides the courses aimed at developing skills of statistical analysis, presentation and so on. Furthermore, a supervisor in the laboratory is in charge of “Required Subjects II”, which grants credits to the practice and exercise related to master's thesis or the establishment of the research result of specific assignment.

“Elective Subjects” are offered to secure flexibility in selecting credits, and enable students to acquire a broad view and expertise beyond the course and a framework of specialized field.

Public Health Course provides 5 discipline areas of education (Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Health Services Administration and Environmental Health Sciences) which are set as requirements by accreditation criteria of the Council on Education for Public Health in the United States. Students learn basic subjects at Required Subjects I, which aims at obtaining minimum knowledge and capability required of public health experts and will be conducted under the interdisciplinary educational system by educators specialized in medicine, science and engineering, and humanities and social sciences. “Elective Subjects” are offered to develop expertise regarding extensive and various public health issues, capability for gathering information and proper judgement.

Assessment Policy

I. Assessment Criteria
  1. Concerning academic assessment, based on the abilities required of students (degree-granting level) in the program as stated in the Diploma Policy of the Graduate School, achievement goals shall be set for each course subject, and assessment shall be based on achievement level of the students.
  2. No guidelines for grade distribution shall be given for course subjects in the program.
  3. It shall be possible to assess students' academic performance on a pass/fail basis only for courses in which classes are conducted as practical training.
  4. Every semester, the Student Affairs Committee shall verify that appropriate achievement goals have been set for each course as well as the results of grading based on these goals, and shall request the course instructor to reconsider the achievement goals as necessary.
II. Assessment Methods
  1. Academic assessment shall be based primarily on examination results, report evaluation, presentation of results, and attitude toward the study.
  2. Class attendance may not simply be scored and used for assessment.
  3. Students who have attended at least 2/3 of the class sessions shall be eligible for academic assessment.
  4. Specific assessment methods shall be determined by the course instructor.

Curriculum Policy - Doctoral Program

The following three courses are offered in the Doctoral Program. Students are allocated to courses based on their preference.

1. Basic Medicine Course
This course aims to train talented individuals who will become researchers or educators in medical and life science fields.
2. Clinical Medicine Course
This course aims to train talented individuals who will become clinicians with advanced clinical techniques and research capabilities.
3. Social Medicine Course
This course aims to train talented individuals who will play leading roles in the areas of health care and safety in local and international communities.
 

In the Doctoral (PhD) Program in Medicine, Required Core Subjects, Required Subjects, Elective Subjects are offered.

“Required Core Subjects” are offered to cultivate the basic quality in the education at the Graduate School of Medicine, and are compulsory in all courses. “Required Core Subjects” include “Introduction to Medical Research” (such as studies on intellectual property) to provide basic and systematic knowledge of medical research and “Experimental Methods and Research Designs” to master designing of research, basics of epidemiology and biostatics. Students develop presentation skills as well as Q&A handling skills in “Scientific presentation and communication”, and develop presentation skills and academic paper writing skills in English in “Presentation skills I & II”. In line with “All-round Education”, one of educational philosophies of Hokkaido University, students learn “Medical Ethics” which cultivates bioethics for those engaged in medicine and “Introduction to Translational Research” which promotes the understanding of bridging research aimed at establishing medical technology or pharmaceutical products in the clinical practice utilizing the results gained by basic research. Those who take Doctoral (PhD) Program in Medicine after completing the Master's Program in Medical Science will be granted as having acquired the credits of the four subjects of Required Core Subjects; “Introduction to Medical Research”, “Experimental Methods and Research Designs”, “Medical Ethics” and “Introduction to Translational Research”.

“Required Subjects” are offered according to the educational goal of each course, to acquire not only in-depth knowledge of specialized research field but also the knowledge of outside extensive fields. Out of three courses of “Required Subjects” , students should choose one course to enroll. In addition, research work for doctoral dissertation will be certified as credits. A supervisor in the laboratory will be in charge of the subject and carry out exercises for gaining the necessary ability to complete the dissertation.

“Elective Subjects” are offered to secure flexibility in selecting credits, and enable students to acquire a broad view and expertise beyond the course and a framework of specialized field.

Assessment Policy

I. Assessment Criteria
  1. Concerning academic assessment, based on the abilities required of students (degree-granting level) in the program as stated in the Diploma Policy of the Graduate School, achievement goals shall be set for each course subject, and assessment shall be based on achievement level of the students.
  2. No guidelines for grade distribution shall be given for course subjects in the program.
  3. It shall be possible to assess students' academic performance on a pass/fail basis only for courses in which classes are conducted as practical training.
  4. Every semester, the Student Affairs Committee shall verify that appropriate achievement goals have been set for each course as well as the results of grading based on these goals, and shall request the course instructor to reconsider the achievement goals as necessary.
II. Assessment Methods
  1. Academic assessment shall be based primarily on examination results, report evaluation, presentation of results, and attitude toward the study.
  2. Class attendance may not simply be scored and used for assessment.
  3. Students who have attended at least 2/3 of the class sessions shall be eligible for academic assessment.
  4. Specific assessment methods shall be determined by the course instructor.