Introduction to the School of Medicine
Develop Experts Dedicated to the Welfare of Humankind
The School of Medicine was founded in 1917, inviting Dr. Shibazaburo Kitasato
as the first dean. While being a world-class microbiologist, Dr. Kitasato is also known, since his youth, to have put importance on medical practice
accessible to ordinary citizen. He made every effort to establish the
School of Medicine at Keio University to show his gratitude to Yukichi Fukuzawa, founder of Keio Gijuku,
from whom he had once received great support.
The educational policies of the School of
Medicine are as follows:
Nurture students with an independent mindset, decent personality and
profound intelligence;
Enable students to make decisions based on strict ethical standards;
and
Educate students to dedicate themselves to the
development/betterment of human welfare through life-long studies
and practice of medical science.
Early Exposure Program (EEP)
Our six-year undergraduate course provides opportunities to
students from their first year to experience actual medical settings
under the 'Early Exposure Program (EEP)'. Under this program, students
go through training as
'nursing apprentices' at various health care
facilities. Facing real issues and challenges on the medical care
scene, students are expected to get prepared at a relatively early
stage for studies on medicine (which often include rigid training ) and raise
morale for their future professional career.
Unique Curriculum to Develop Research Abilities
One of the School's traditional educational policies is to help
all students, regardless of the fields they specialize in the
future, to build a firm foundation of
research and problem-solving abilities. To realize this goal, we at Keio University have
prepared not only an original medical curriculum which focuses on clinical
training but also 'Self-directed Learning'. We are the first
school of medicine in Japan which introduced such a program. This program requires
students to choose topics of their interests and carry out research
studies under the guidance of their tutors. Successful studies have
been compiled into papers and published in prestigious domestic/international
medical journals.
Development of Strict Ethical Standards and Rich Intelligence
While health care professionals should have a scientific and
logical mindset, they are expected to have a high moral sense as
well. In our undergraduate course, first-year students
are required to send their school life on the Hiyoshi Campus with students of
other majors and complete basic educational subjects such as language, humanity, social
science, and basic medical courses.
Clinical Education and Training
From the second year, specialized courses are conducted on the Shinanomachi Campus.
As a starting point, students are recommended to take subjects
such as histomorphology, anatomy, and embryology. In the third year, students broaden their knowledge to biological and social sciences.
During the fourth year, basic pathognomy courses are provided,
which lead to the clinical training program in the fifth and sixth
years. By seeing patients in small groups, students learn how to
develop their communicative competence (sense of responsibility,
sense of harmony, leadership, etc.) along with medical expertise,
both of which are equally important in becoming a good medical
specialist.
To be officially approved as a professional medical doctor, students have to pass
the national examination for medical practitioners upon graduation.
Keio University is always ranked as one of the top Japanese universities in
terms of the number of students who pass this examination.